Beyond the Darkness: Season 2
by emodinosaurX3
Summary: Nikala has finally found her son, with, of course, the help of Sesshomaru. Now that she has Shippo, will Sesshomaru want to maybe start a family of his own with his new mate?
1. Chapter Twenty One

**Beyond the Darkness  
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**A/N: **Wow, has it been a while since I lasted posted or WHAT? Anyway, sorry for the looooong delay. I've been sick with a cold, been infected with a stye, and also been blessed to have an infection in my leg as well (blessed? Ah, who am I kidding *-*). But at least I'm finally on summer break. Woot! So this is the beginning of season two. However, I'm going to keep the chapters rolling with in the two-digits since it's that way on my Word Processor, since it's all on one doc. Hope you don't get confused! If you do, then maybe I'll just put "Season Two" at the top or something. I dunno. But ANYWAY. Enjoy and welcome back to _Beyond the Darkness_. I hope you missed it as much as it missed you! LOLs! Just kidding! R&R por favor! Grazi! Ciaozies! ^-^ (My new favorite face!! d: )** -Michele**

**PS: **Sorry for the short length. The next chapter is much longer, I promise.

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****::Chapter Twenty-One::**

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The small, auburn fox-demon boy had just come back from gathering his favorite nuts: acorns. His friends were waiting out in the clearing they were camping out in so they could begin eating what Kagome had brought from the future for them.

"There you are, Shippo," a young woman donned in strange priestess clothing chimed. The clothes she wore, Shippo knew, were the type of attire that they wore back in her time.

"We'd feared you might have gotten lost," chuckled the monk, Miroku. Shippo tossed his gaze over to the man in dark monk's robes sitting next to Sango, the demon-slayer. Knowing Miroku, Shippo expected him to pull something lecherous in about two seconds.

Suddenly, as Sango was about to open her mouth to say something, her brown eyes bulged and her face burned red. Shippo could spot the monk's hand resting on her backside, rubbing it in seduction.

Shippo sighed at this usual routine. A loud _smack_ echoed through the forest and in place of where Sango's hand had made contact with Miroku's face was a bright red handprint.

"He never learns," sighed Kagome. Shippo nodded in agreement and dropped his acorns onto the ground.

"That's for sure," Shippo mumbled after.

"Okay everyone, time for lunch!" Kagome announced and began to pull out many bento boxes filled with freshly-cooked modern-time food.

"Yum! I can't wait!" exclaimed Shippo, rubbing his hands together. Kagome handed him a bento box and a pair of chopsticks. "I hope there are some of those yummy octopuses in here."

"Regardless of what Lady Kagome put in our bento boxes, I'm sure it will be just as delicious," Miroku said.

"I agree. Kagome put so much time into making these lunches for us. We are forever grateful," Sango said after.

"Oh you guys," Kagome said, waving them off and handing them their own boxes. "It's not that big of a deal. Really." Then, she peered out over her friends' shoulders and spotted the dog half-demon who traveled with her.

"InuYasha, lunch!" she called to him like a mother. Shippo turned to InuYasha's direction and saw the tiny, pointed dog ears that poked out from his massive mane of white hair twitch and he stood up to walk towards his circle of friends.

Shippo opened his bento box and broke apart his chopsticks. He squealed with delight.

"Yay! Tiny, weird, yummy octopuses!" he exclaimed and immediately grabbed one to stuff it in his mouth.

Kagome sighed, but smiled at Shippo's youth. "Shippo, those are weenies, not octopuses."

But Shippo seemed to ignore her. The only thing he loved more than acorns were these yummy, eye-less, tiny octopuses.

Just as he was about to stick it in his mouth, it was suddenly swiped from his chopsticks. Shippo gasped and turned.

"InuYasha!" Kagome cried. Shippo's eyes widened as he saw InuYasha pick out the little octopuses, each one stuck on each of his claws. He stuck one finger in his mouth at a time, chewing them with delight.

"Hey, Kagome. These _are _good!" he exclaimed, his face bright. Shippo cried and jumped to smack InuYasha on his head.

"Hey InuYasha! Those were _mine_!" he shouted, tears falling from his wide, topaz eyes.

InuYasha looked angrily at the crying fox demon, now sitting on the ground. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Geez, calm down, Shippo. Haven't you ever heard of respecting your elders and _sharing_?" InuYasha retorted. "Kagome can just go home and catch some more octopuses anyway."

Kagome stood from her sitting place and growled. Her fingers curled into fists as she shouted, _"Sit!"_

The string of subjugation beads around InuYasha's neck glowed and dragged him face-first into the ground with such a force the strongest demon in the world could not suppress.

A loud _thud_ echoed through the trees around them as InuYasha's face stuck in the ground. The once-crying fox demon took one peek at him and began to laugh at the half-dog demon's humiliation. Kagome folded her arms and stuck her chin in the air.

"That's what you get for stealing other people's food, InuYasha. Let that lesson be learned," she said.

InuYasha's retort was muffled by the hard dirt his face was stuck into and Kagome was glad; the last thing she wanted to hear was the complaints of InuYasha and the subjugation beads.

"How incredibly rude and inconsiderate of InuYasha," Sango said to Miroku, the two of them talking loudly enough for even InuYasha to hear.

"Indeed, he is a bully," Miroku added. "But what can we expect from InuYasha anyway. It's just like him to steal food from younger kids." Both Miroku and Sango shook their heads with disappointment.

"Hey!" InuYasha shouted when the subjugation had been called off. "I heard that!"

But before InuYasha, or anyone else for that matter, could say anymore, a fox-demon woman ran out from behind the bushes and into the clearing. She was a very beautiful woman with long auburn hair, big topaz, and a body shaped so flawlessly it could belong to a goddess.

Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were glistening with tears. This woman had been crying so hard, her topaz eyes were turning red. But what startled everyone was that the woman was screaming.

"_SHIPPO!"_

InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and even Kirara— the two-tailed cat demon— looked over Shippo's way. His eyes were wide at the sight of the woman and even glistening just a little. Was he crying? Who was this mysteriously beautiful fox-demon woman and what relation was she of _their_ fox demon? How did she know their Shippo.

Their mental question was answered soon after when Shippo muttered a word that made everyone gasp.

"_Mother."_


	2. Chapter Twenty Two

**Beyond the Darkness  
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**A/N: **Hey guys. How's the new season coming along? You like it? Good. That's exactly what I want to hear. ^-^ So anyway, I've already written up chapter twenty-three and I would write twenty-four, but my sister is pestering me to play cards with her. o-o;; Urg. Okie dokles. R&R por favor. Same ol', same ol'. Chanku. Ciaozies! ^-^** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Two::**

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Sesshomaru watched from behind the bushes Nikala running out to her son. The others watched her with curiosity and surprise. Had they not known Shippo still had a mother? Perhaps Shippo had thought he'd lost his mother in the battle with Hiten, like how Nikala assumed her son was dead to Manten.

Sesshomaru could instantly tell the resemblance between his mate and her son. The auburn hair, the topaz eyes… it was obvious this fox boy belonged to Nikala.

He examined Shippo's friends' faces. They were all shocked to hear that Shippo had called this strange woman _mother_.

"_Mother?_ What are you talking about Shippo?" InuYasha growled, his fingers wrapping around the weathered handle of Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru glared and almost growled back. That was so typical InuYasha. Nikala was harmless; couldn't he see that?

"My lord!" Rin called when A-Un had caught up to him. Sesshomaru held out his arm for them to stop, not taking his eyes off of the scene.

Nikala and Shippo stood apart for the longest time, just staring at each other with wide, topaz eyes. Both were crying now, silent tears rushing down their cheeks.

"His mother…" Kagome whispered.

Nikala gulped and attempted to stagger forward, but her knees were locked. The sight of seeing her son after many months was so overwhelming. She was having a hard enough time breathing.

However, Shippo disagreed. He finally burst into a run and cried, _"Mama!"_

The voice of her son awakened her and Nikala's knees unlocked. She ran towards him, her arms opened wide, and Shippo jumped into her arms.

She hugged him so tightly, Shippo was having a hard time breathing, but he didn't care. He was in his mother's arms now, after many months of believing that she was dead.

_You came back, Ma. You came back for me._

He locked his short arms around her neck while Nikala pushed his head gently against her shoulder. Finally. _Finally._ She was reunited with her son at long last.

"Shippo's mother," murmured Sango. The three humans were grouped together, smiling at the embracing foxes.

"After he thought he had no other living family—" Kagome cut herself off and Sango finished for her.

"— he's reunited with his mother."

"My, isn't she a beauty?" sighed Miroku. Kagome and Sango were disrupted from their serene and happy thoughts of the mother and son by Miroku's comment. Both of the girls glared at him while Miroku— oblivious to the glares he received— stared at the seductive curves and large bust belonging to Shippo's mother. As usual, crude thoughts filtered him mind.

"You call yourself his mother?" InuYasha spat at Nikala. Both foxes, along with everyone else, looked over at InuYasha with shock. Nikala's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"InuYasha!" Kagome shrieked.

"She's a traitor, Shippo!" InuYasha cried, pointing an accusing finger at his mother. "She brought Sesshomaru with her! She's covered with his stench."

Sesshomaru, from behind the bush, glared even harder. How _dare_ he?

_Insolent… little… brother!_ he hissed in his mind.

"Come on out, Sesshomaru!" his brother cried, scanning the diameter. "Stop hiding and just _try_ to defeat me, like how you claim you one day will!"

"InuYasha! How can you call my mother a traitor?" Shippo cried, jumping out of Nikala's arms and standing in front of InuYasha.

"Like I said, she's with Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru is the _bad_ guy, remember?"

"It's true, I'm traveling with Sesshomaru," Nikala spoke up. Everyone became quiet and Sesshomaru waited to hear what she had to say.

"Told you," sneered InuYasha to Shippo, who glared hard back at him.

"As a matter of fact, I've… we've…." She stumbled over her words, entwining her fingers together and looking down at them. Her tail moved serenely back and forth and finally wrapped itself around her legs.

But she didn't have to finish. Lord Sesshomaru himself walked out into the clearing and everyone gasped at his presence, everyone but Nikala. She turned her head and widened her eyes.

"We've mated," he answered simply. InuYasha, Shippo, and the three humans stared at them, dumbstruck.

"What the hell kind of nonsense are you spouting?" InuYasha spat. Sesshomaru glared and he was suddenly up close to InuYasha, Shippo standing behind Sesshomaru as if he were being protected by the great white dog. Nikala beckoned for Shippo and he obeyed.

"Nonsense? Are you _insulting_ the great Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru questioned in a low, menacing tone. InuYasha glared back at him, not quite so fazed by his tone as Sesshomaru would have liked.

"Feh. You wouldn't mate with anyone even if they were in the same league as you! You have no heart," InuYasha sneered.

Sesshomaru's face remained expressionless, as always when face-to-face with his younger half-brother. It only angered InuYasha more to see that Sesshomaru didn't have a care in the world about what he had to say.

"Sesshomaru," Kagome pitched in. "Have you really mated with Shippo's mother?"

Sesshomaru did nothing more as to look her way. His eyes remained on InuYasha's angry golden ones.

"Yes, it's true," Nikala answered for him. InuYasha tore his eyes away from his half-brother, but Sesshomaru stayed put. Nikala smiled as she continued. "Sesshomaru and I have mated."

"What about Pa, Ma? Have you forgotten about Pa?" Shippo asked. Nikala widened her eyes and knelt down to his height, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"No! No, my love. I could _never_ forget about your father. It's just…" She paused. Maybe it was best that Nikala kept seeing Tairoku's ghost to herself. Shippo wouldn't understand. She was even surprised that Sesshomaru had believed her tale. Shippo was too young, and if she were to tell him that she saw his father's ghost, he might not take it too well.

"Just what?" Shippo asked.

"It's just that I know you're father would want me to be happy and to not live my life in grief over him. He would want me to move on. I am obeying his wish, Shippo," Nikala explained tenderly. Shippo looked into her topaz eyes.

"I don't want you to feel awkward about this, Shippo," Nikala added. "You must know that _you_ will always come first."

Sesshomaru's heart stung with those words. Of course, it was quite obvious to him that his lover's son would come before him, but it still hurt to admit to it.

"How could it _not_ feel awkward for him? How could _you_ fall in love with someone like _Sesshomaru_?" InuYasha cried. "Sesshomaru is evil! He has no heart!"

"You're wrong," Nikala disagreed. "Sesshomaru is _not_ evil and he certainly does have a heart!"

Sesshomaru turned his head to Nikala, connecting eye contact with her.

"He certainly does have a heart," Nikala repeated in a whisper. She smiled, causing Sesshomaru to smile back.

"InuYasha, give it a rest," Kagome sighed, walking over to the half-demon and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Shippo's finally found his mother. You shouldn't be arguing with Sesshomaru. This should be a happy day."

"How could it be _happy_ if _he's_ here?" InuYasha snarled as he shrugged off Kagome's hand.

"InuYasha…" Kagome whispered.

InuYasha stared at Sesshomaru, who was still looking over at Nikala with a smile. Sesshomaru was _smiling_? Now _that_ was hard to believe. Sesshomaru never smiled, unless it was for something malevolent. The hardest part to believe was the connections between Sesshomaru and his "mate". There was no possible way that Sesshomaru— were he to ever fall in love with anyone— could fall in love with the fox-demon woman who was Shippo's _mother_. His _mother_!

Sesshomaru walked away from InuYasha, who would have lashed out at him for walking away from his component, but something stopped him. It was that mate thing again. How could Sesshomaru _fall in love_? InuYasha just couldn't understand.

"Nikala, we've found your son. Shall we?" Sesshomaru beckoned softly. Nikala looked up at him. She knew what he was indicating. It was time to leave the clearing with her son.

"Ma?" asked Shippo, confused about the situation.

Nikala was stuck. She didn't know what to do. Shippo had made friends with these people, even the paranoid half-demon who was just worried about Shippo. Deep down, Nikala actually wasn't angry with InuYasha for lashing out at her. She understood where he was coming from. After all, he and Sesshomaru were enemies, and Nikala had been traveling with InuYasha's enemy.

Thankfully, Kagome saved Nikala from the heart-wrenching decision.

"You all should stay," she offered, speaking also to Jaken, Rin, and A-Un. InuYasha tossed a glare at her, his eyebrows raised high.

"What? What the hell are you talking about Kagome? They can't stay with us!" he shouted. Kagome sighed and looked at him with a bothersome expression.

"InuYasha, _sit_ boy," she said and the bead of subjugation took into effect. InuYasha fell face-first into the ground yet again. Shippo, Miroku, and Sango stifled some giggles.

"As I was saying, you all should stay with us. We're taking a break from hunting down Naraku, since we can't find any trace of his scent anywhere," Kagome said.

Nikala smiled widely.

"I think that's a great idea, Kagome. That'll give Shippo more time to spend with his mother," said Sango.

"I agree. We should let the lovely Nikala stay with us," Miroku mused. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyebrows and Nikala blushed.

"Oh, um…" she stammered. Sango rolled her eyes and narrowed her eyebrows as well. She threw her fist to the side of his head.

"Miroku… we don't want to make _one _of our guests angry, now do we?" Sango hissed, speaking of Sesshomaru. Miroku eyed Sesshomaru's icy glare and shuddered.

"Right…" he agreed.


	3. Chapter Twenty Three

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **OMG. BEST. NEWS. EVER. (Well, for me maybe... but not you. LOLs. I dunno. Shut up, me. d: ) My cold is finally letting up and my leg infection is going away! :D However, I still have that stye in my bottom eyelid, but you can't even tell. The swelling is gone. I look normal again!!! Yay! :'D So anyway, I start volunteering at my old elementary school tomorrow, so I won't be able to update as frequently (even though I haven't been doing a very good job at updating frequently anyway). Well, I dunno. It depends on whether I have time when I get home from the school or not. But I have a few more of these chapters written up already, so I may be able to. ^-^ Anyway, enjoy and R&R. Ciao! ** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Three::**

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"Thank you so much for letting us stay," Nikala said graciously as she and Kagome were setting up blankets to sleep on. Rin was glued to Nikala's side again and she was happy to have finally met Shippo formally. Normally, Shippo would have thought otherwise about a companion of Sesshomaru's, but Rin was different. Shippo knew there was no evil in Rin. She was okay, actually.

But one thing Shippo could not stop thinking about was the fact that his mother had fallen in love with Sesshomaru, InuYasha's evil half-brother. He was supposed to be the enemy, wasn't he? Did that make his mother his enemy as well?

_Of course not!_ Shippo shouted in his mind. _How could I ever think my mother could be my enemy?_

But mating Sesshomaru was so strange for Shippo. Of all people— rather, demons— she had to fall in love with Sesshomaru.

Was Shippo mad? Not quite. Awkward about it? Incredibly.

"So is it true?" Kagome asked softly. Nikala tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Are you and Sesshomaru actually mates?"

Nikala smiled widely.

"Yup! Lord Sesshomaru has finally fallen in love! Lady Nikala was a perfect choice," Rin chimed, clapping her hands with excitement. Shippo eyed her curiously. _She_ seemed happy about his mother and Sesshomaru mating. He wished he could feel more joyful about it too.

Sesshomaru sat off to one side of the clearing, leaning up against a tree in his usual position. As always, Jaken was glued to his side, pestering him with meaningless questions.

"My lord, are you sure you want to stay with those humans and that wretched InuYasha?" he asked, glaring out over at InuYasha as he mindlessly handled his sword. "We could be out searching for Naraku on our own. We could get a lead on him and then defeat him before the half-breed does!"

"There is no trace of Naraku, Jaken," Sesshomaru retorted. "We can't get a lead on him if there is no trace of his scent."

"But even so, why do we have to stay with _them_? Lady Nikala has found her son. We can leave her here. Wasn't that part of the agreement you two had? To help search for her son and then leave her to where she may please?"

"Things are _different_ now, Jaken," Sesshomaru said firmly, becoming quite agitated by Jaken's questions. "I'm mated with Nikala, remember?"

Jaken was startled by Sesshomaru's tone and simmered down.

"Yes, my lord. I remember."

Sesshomaru's eyes furrowed and he glanced over Nikala's way again. She was flattening out a blanket, still talking with Kagome, Shippo and Rin still at her side. Would Sesshomaru be laying beside her, like how they had started to throughout the night? Would she just want to be with Shippo now?

Sesshomaru was confused again. He was unsure of what was going to happen to the two of them. Nikala had made it clear that she wanted to stay with Sesshomaru when she'd assured Shippo that they had mated. Sesshomaru wanted nothing more than to stay with the fox-demon woman, but was that what the fox-demon woman wanted as well?

He snapped himself out of those thoughts.

_Of course she loves me,_ he assured himself. _Nikala told me herself that she loves me. Why would that change?_

The night donned on them sooner than expected and the little ones were growing tired. Nikala and Kagome put them to bed.

"Will you be staying with us, Ma?" Shippo asked groggily. Nikala lay him down on the blanket they would be sharing. She smiled down at him and stroked his head.

"Please, Lady Nikala," added Rin, maybe just a little more tired than the fox-demon boy, since she was a mortal. "Please let us stay with Lady Kagome and her friends."

Nikala glanced over at Rin, laying beside Shippo. She then looked up at Kagome, who was smiling widely at Nikala.

_She's so friendly,_ thought Nikala. _And she's quite generous to be letting us stay in their campsite, even if we are traveling with one of her friend's enemy._

"You're welcome to stay for as long as you want," Kagome said. "We'll just have to make sure that InuYasha and Sesshomaru don't go at it with each other." She chuckled.

Nikala nodded and smiled. "You are so kind, Lady Kagome. Thank you. I'll speak with Sesshomaru when the children are asleep."

"I hope he says yes," Shippo sighed, drifting off to sleep.

"Lord Sesshomaru will do anything for Lady Nikala. He… loves… her…" And little Rin fell into a deep slumber as well.

Nikala smiled down at the two children she considering her own— her biological son and the small human girl who'd served her basinfuls of water to help revive her. She stroked their heads as if they were the most precious things in the entire world, one at a time.

"Rin sure does love you," Kagome whispered. "It looks to me that she thinks of you as a mother."

Nikala looked up at Kagome and nodded. "She does; she told me herself."

"And Shippo seems so happy to see his mother again. How do you think he will take the mating-Sesshomaru thing?"

Nikala sighed. "I don't know what goes through Shippo's mind. Hopefully he comes to get used to it. I wasn't expecting him to accept this right away. It'll take some time, I'm sure."

Kagome nodded in agreement and her eyes drifted towards Sesshomaru.

"It's so ironic," Kagome started. "You being Shippo's mother, Shippo having traveling for us for quite some time, and you mating InuYasha's older brother. What a connection."

Nikala chuckled. "Yes," she sighed. "What a connection indeed."

Kagome rose to her feet from her kneeling position. "Well, I'm off to bed. It's getting pretty late. I'm just going to go check on InuYasha for a sec," she said. Nikala nodded and dismissed her.

She looked down at her sleeping children. She and Sesshomaru were a complete family now. What if they were to bind themselves eternally, like how she and Tairoku had? Would Sesshomaru want to do something like that?

She turned her head and looked at Sesshomaru's lonely figure. Jaken was irritating him again with mindless babble, no doubt.

Suddenly, he looked her way and his beautiful golden eyes widened just the slightest. She beckoned for him silently, using only her eyes to talk to him. Sesshomaru caught the hint. He nodded and rose, leaving Jaken behind. Of course, Jaken was hot on his heels. Nikala sighed and tossed her gaze at Jaken, hinting Sesshomaru yet again. Sesshomaru, without having to look down at the imp, stuck his foot in Jaken's face to stop him. Jaken wailed and Nikala widened her eyes. The children would surely wake at the racket. Sesshomaru glared and pounded Jaken on the head with his fist, driving his face into the ground.

"My lord…" Jaken wailed in a muffle.

"My love?" Sesshomaru said when he arrived. Nikala pat the space next to her on their blanket.

"Sit with me, my lord," Nikala pleaded. Sesshomaru agreed and sat down with her. She grasped his only hand in her two dainty ones.

"I've told you, Nikala; I am no lord to you. We are equals. Refer to me just as Sesshomaru," he said.

"But you are indeed a lord, regardless of who is speaking to you," Nikala pointed out. "In that case, you are still my lord as well, even if I am in love with you."

Sesshomaru gazed into her topaz eyes and took his hand to stroke her angelic face.

"Nikala," he sighed.

"Rin and Shippo," Nikala started, looking down at the sleeping children, "they want you to let us stay here."

Sesshomaru pondered the idea. He didn't know how long they would stay with InuYasha, but he did know that they were only staying because of Shippo.

"Is this what you want? To stay with these people?" he asked.

"The children very much wish for it."

"But is it what _you_ want?" he urged. His hand still rested on her face, cupping her jaw. Nikala stared up at him with wide eyes.

"Yes," she whispered. "To stay with my Shippo."

Sesshomaru sighed and let go of her face. "Then it is settled. We will stay until we are no longer welcome."

Nikala's face beamed and she smiled widely. "Oh, Sesshomaru!"

She flung her arms around his neck, jumping into his lap. He wrapped his solitary arm around her waist, holding her close to him, remembering the affection she'd first shown him. Then, placing both of her dainty hands on either side of his face, she pressed her lips to him, granting him a kiss of gratitude.


	4. Chapter Twenty Four

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Yo peeps. Here's chapter twenty-four. Uhmm... I don't know what to say now. |: Blah. Mmmmmkles. R&R por favor. ^-^ Ciaozies. Chanku!! ** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Four::**

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Kagome trailed over to InuYasha, who was still sitting and handling his sword. She would never understand why men loved their weapons so much, even in her time. Swords, guns, knives… what was so great about them? They were dangerous. Sure, they were perfect for self-defense, but if nobody used them, there wouldn't be any need for self-defense.

"Hey InuYasha," she called when she approached him. She knelt down beside him, watching him place his sword delicately on the ground, as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him. His gaze lifted up and he immediately spotted Sesshomaru and Nikala, engrossed in each other. The sight made him both sick to his stomach and utterly confused.

"I just don't get it," muttered InuYasha with agitation. Kagome followed his gaze and spotted the half-demon's half-brother and their fellow fox demon's mother.

Kagome sighed. "InuYasha, I know it's hard for you to understand, but you know, anyone can fall in love," she explained.

"Not Sesshomaru," he retorted.

"_Even_ Sesshomaru," she retorted back. He crossed his arms and exhaled sharply.

"Sesshomaru's never been in love. Why start now, and why with Shippo's _mom_?"

Kagome sucked in her breath, crossing her arms and looking slightly annoyed. InuYasha was being so difficult. Just like she would never understand the love for his sword, InuYasha would never understand the true meaning of love. She knew it was hard for him to believe it, but couldn't he just accept that his brother had fallen in love _now_? Shouldn't he be happy for him? Sesshomaru's been in the darkness, posing as the evil one, and now he's been shown beyond that. He's been helped.

"Why would it matter when he fell love? Jeez, InuYasha, why can't you just be happy for him? He is your brother, nonetheless. And what does it matter that he's falling in love with Nikala. Obviously she's the right one for him and they make the cutest couple anyway," Kagome said, smiling widely over at Sesshomaru's and Nikala's direction. They'd now let go of each other and were laying down. Nikala had cuddled closer to Shippo and Rin, and Sesshomaru was right there behind her, her tail wrapped securely around his leg.

InuYasha grumbled and turned away, holding his chin up high. Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed, standing up.

"Well, I'm off to bed, then," she announced. "You'd better start making friends with Sesshomaru because they may be staying with us for a while. I offered Nikala for her and her companions to stay with us for as long as they want."

InuYasha widened his golden eyes. "What?! You can't be serious! Why would you offer something like _that_?" he cried.

"Shush! You'll wake Shippo and Rin! And I offered because I want them to stay. Shippo needs to be with his mother," Kagome replied.

"So let his mother stay. You didn't have to invite the rest of the motley crew. What about Sango and Miroku? What if they don't agree with you and you're decisions?"

"Oh they do. I talked it over with them before I made the offer with Nikala. Honestly InuYasha, you think I'd do something like that without talking it over with my friends first?" She rolled her eyes again. "Again, I'm going to get some sleep. Make friends with Sesshomaru, and fast. None of us want a bloodbath between you two, especially after he's just mated."

With that, Kagome walked off towards her own blanket next to Sango and Miroku, who were having their own conversation, Miroku still sneaking glances over at Nikala. InuYasha watched her leave in disbelief. How could she just so calmly and so easily accept this mating thing between Nikala and Sesshomaru? And then, how could she invite Sesshomaru to stay with InuYasha's affiliation when she's knew that the two brothers didn't get along?

_Damn, Kagome!_ he thought angrily. _Couldn't you consult with me at least? _

Why couldn't she let him know what she was going to do before she'd actually done it? Perhaps he could have talked her out of it, or at least of keeping Sesshomaru along.

"_They're mated, InuYasha! How could I just ask one of them to stay, and the other to leave?"_ he could already hear her saying. He sighed and hastily picked up Tetsusaiga and crossed his arms and legs tightly. His eyes landed on Sesshomaru again, cuddled up against Nikala's back. Since when did Sesshomaru ever _cuddle_? He sneered at his older half-brother. It was disgusting.

*** * ***

Dawn had just approached and Nikala opened her topaz eyes to see everyone, including Sesshomaru, sleeping soundly. She noticed across the campsite that the three humans— Kagome, Sango, and Miroku— were sleeping next to each other and InuYasha off to the distance from everyone, his arms and legs crossed and his head bowed down, locks of thick, white hair covering his face.

She turned her gaze back down to Shippo. She remembered how he would curl his arms and legs up to his chest, almost like a fetal position, but much more adorable. As it turns out, he still kept his habits even with his new friends and slept so soundlessly in his fetal position. She smiled down at her son, thinking it had been much too long since she'd seen him. Many months without seeing your son and worrying whether he was alive or not should have been illegal.

Tenderly, she stroked the side of his face, running her fingers gently over the side of his forehead, his pointed ear, and cheek.

"Shippo," she whispered and nuzzled her nose against his neck. "Shippo."

Shippo blinked a couple of times and turned on his back to face his mother. The sight of her smiling face in the morning brought back memories to when they lived back at the fox tribe with his father.

"Mama," he whispered even softer.

"Come with me," Nikala said and she sat up from the ground, her tail untying itself from Sesshomaru's leg. Suddenly, Nikala was no longer the humanoid fox-demon woman, but the majestic auburn fox she truly was. Shippo knew where she was going with this and he eagerly agreed.

He climbed on top of his mother's back and silently they left the camp grounds and sprinted out for a run.

The cool wind slapped Shippo's face as he clung to his mother's soft fur. It had been so long since they'd been out on a morning run, a morning run that had become their routine before the Thunder Brothers attacked. How he'd missed these runs, runs that were peaceful and serene yet exciting and fast.

_Ma…_

They ran for miles and miles on end, curving through trees and plains, not caring where they were and not knowing for sure how they'd get back. But the run was wonderful. Shippo loved to hear the soft pats Nikala's paws made each time they hit the ground.

Finally, they stop to take a break near a lake so Nikala could rest and catch her breath from the running. Shippo trotted over to the lake so he could splash his face, Nikala following him so she could get a drink.

However, neither of them knew the dangers of what crept behind them as they obliviously kept at their leisure.


	5. Chapter Twenty Five

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Yo peeps. Again. Volunteered today. Lot's of fun! I'd forgotten how little the elementary school kids are, especially the kindergartners! They look like they're two, three years old!!! They are so cute!!! LOLs. Okay well, I need to write chapter twenty-seven so I don't run out of chapters to post. o-O Mmkles. Ciaozies and R&R alright? Chanku!! ^-^ ** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Five::**

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It wasn't until Nikala sensed an evil demonic aura behind them that she turned from the lake. She stood in front of Shippo protectively as she became face-to-face with a nasty-looking beetle demon, abnormally large and letting off a terrible odor.

Nikala growled at the beetle demon, which hissed back at her, egging her on for a fight. It's long antennae squirmed and wriggled as the large, oversized beetle crawled over to her at a quick speed.

Nikala roared and gave Shippo a growl to go and hide. He understood and ran to hide behind a large boulder. Nikala turned her attention back to the beetle demon. She swiped at the beetle with her paw, warning it not to come any closer to her or her kitsune.

But the beetle stubbornly refused and darted after her.

_Damn beetle!_ she shouted in her mind. _It's pathetic demons like you that make the world dangerous for innocent and vulnerable creatures!_

She began to build up the fox fire in her mouth, so as to shoot it at the beetle. She opened her mouth and a large ball of green flames burst out towards the beetle demon, which immediately caught aflame and began to shriek with pain.

_She did it…! _Shippo cheered in his mind.

_Serves you right,_ Nikala sniffed mentally.

As the fox fire began to eat up the screeching beetle, suddenly, a large flash appeared and sliced the demon's body in two. Shippo and Nikala stared wide-eyed with surprise.

_What? _they both thought.

As the top half of the beetle slid off it's body, the source of the flash was revealed.

_Sesshomaru! _Nikala cried with joy and smiled. Sesshomaru stared into her bright red eyes as his ribbon-claws returned back to normal. Then, he returned her smile.

Shippo came out from hiding when he knew the beetle had died. He walked over to his mother, grasping on to her auburn fur.

Sesshomaru walked around to Nikala while the beetle shriveled in the still-active flames of the fox fire, yellowish goop pouring out from the inside of where Sesshomaru sliced it.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" he asked in his usual indifferent voice, the one Shippo was used to hearing when they came in contact. Nikala cocked her head and trotted towards her mate, entwining her tail through his legs again. Shippo looked up at the towering white dog demon. This demon was actually in love with _his _mother. _His mother. _

Could Shippo really ever think of calling Sesshomaru is _father_? Rather, stepfather. Shippo bit his lip and looked down at the ground, narrowing his eyebrows. Tairoku was his only father. Tairoku would ever be his only father. Sesshomaru could never be a substitute. Perhaps InuYasha was right? Maybe his mother was betraying him.

_Ma would never do that! She'd never met InuYasha before, hadn't she? I would have seen her if they'd met. I don't know…_

His thoughts drifted off in doubt as he looked back to see Sesshomaru and Nikala still staring into each other's eyes. What was with them? What was _wrong_ with them?

_Gross! Don't tell me they're doing some mushy love stuff with their eyes!_ Shippo cried in his mind, looking away immediately.

"Nikala, Shippo, perhaps your run has come to an end. It's time to come back to the clearing now," Sesshomaru said, looking down at Shippo as well. Nikala nodded and nudged Shippo to climb back onto her back. Shippo studied Sesshomaru hard before he agreed and mounted his fox mother.

_Who does he think he is? He can't really think he's my replacement father, can he?_

Sesshomaru and Nikala took off into a run back to the clearing, Nikala following Sesshomaru since she had no remembrance of the path she'd taken. Thankfully, Sesshomaru did. They curved through the trees of the forest they'd ran through, Shippo finding it more disgusting that Sesshomaru maybe thought he could replace his father.

_He doesn't even _know_ me or my father! He's just "in love" with Ma. Why is he in love with _her_ anyway? She belongs to Pa, and Pa alone! They made the fox bond!_

And as his anger grew for Sesshomaru, it began to form for his mother as well.

_How could she do this to me? To Pa? Just because he's dead doesn't mean that she can love other people! She probably made Pa's "wish" up, just so she wouldn't look bad for cheating! Ma is cheating on Pa! She's _cheating_!_

Tears formed at the corners of his big, topaz eyes. It wasn't fair. Why did she have to fall in love? Why? He hated Sesshomaru with an even greater passion. Could it be even greater than InuYasha's? He didn't know, but he knew InuYasha was exactly the one to go to about this situation.

*** * ***

"Lady Nikala, Lord Sesshomaru, where were you?" asked Rin with worry as she and Jaken rushed to them when they back into the clearing. Shippo, with a glare, hastily climbed off his mother and ran towards his friends, not looking back at the newcomers. As Nikala transformed back into her humanoid form, she watched Shippo with confusion. What was wrong with him?

"It's nothing to get worked up over, Rin," Sesshomaru said. "Lady Nikala and her son simply ran into some trouble and I rushed to help."

Nikala paid no attention to Sesshomaru's story. Technically, Nikala hadn't needed any help. She had been doing just fine on her own with her fox fire. The beetle demon was already dying by the time Sesshomaru arrived and sliced it into two.

"Ah, as usual, the great Lord Sesshomaru saves the day!" Jaken cheered. Rin clapped excitedly in agreement. Sesshomaru looked down at Nikala and noticed her staring with sadness and confusion in her beautiful eyes at her son. What was going on between them? Weren't they just happy to be with each other?

"Nikala?" Sesshomaru called to her softly, but even his melodic voice could not break her from her thoughts.

_Shippo, what's going on? You're angry… with me, aren't you? Does this have anything to do with Sesshomaru, dear one? Or perhaps… you're father?_

Perhaps it _was_ wrong to have found a new mate. Why hadn't she thought of what Shippo would think after she'd found a new lover? She should have waited until she found Shippo to ask him what he'd think about it. Maybe he'd think differently if he'd known beforehand.

"Shippo is upset… because of me, isn't he?" Sesshomaru asked her. Nikala looked up at him with big, shining eyes. Finally, he'd grabbed her attention.

Rin tilted her head. "But why would Shippo be mad at you, Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Rin, why don't you and Jaken help Kagome with breakfast?" he suggested, wanting to discuss this privately with his mate. Rin nodded obediently as she tugged on Jaken's twiggy arm.

"But… my lord!" Jaken cried in protest. Sesshomaru shot him an icy glare. Jaken chuckled nervously. "Uh, never mind, my lord. I know you always know what is right and I know better when to question your judgment." He let Rin drag him off towards Kagome, Sango, and Miroku who were all cutting fruits and vegetables for a breakfast. Kagome still had some dry foods from the future that they would be eating for breakfast as well.

Sesshomaru turned back to Nikala, who was looking down at the ground in grief. He lifted her chin to him and gently whispered, "What's wrong, my love?"

She sighed unsteadily and couldn't help the tears that were urging to escape.

"It is Shippo," she started quietly so as her voice would not crack. "Shippo is upset with me… about us. I know he is."

Sesshomaru wiped her tears away with his thumb and replaced his hand back on her chin, holding on to it between his thumb and index finger.

"He's just not used to it yet," he said comfortingly. "Neither is InuYasha, though of course I don't ever to accept this." Nikala sighed again. That didn't exactly make her feel any better. "Your son has lost his father and has just recently found out that his mother has found another mate, therefore assuming you've replaced Tairoku."

"But I haven't!" Nikala cried in protest. "I'd never replace Tairoku! I love you Sesshomaru, but Tairoku meant the world to me."

These words yet again stung his heart.

_You've known she was in love prior to you. Don't become a sick, jealous bastard,_ Sesshomaru warned himself.

"I know," Sesshomaru answered calmly, hiding his true feelings for Nikala's old fox mate. "Let us wait for Shippo accept this, to accept us. This is very difficult for him, especially because he is so young."

Nikala nodded. Sesshomaru was right; he was completely right. She looked back at Shippo, who was now talking with InuYasha. Nikala nodded again in agreement to what Sesshomaru had said.

"Alright, my love. We will wait."


	6. Chapter Twenty Six

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Blurg (new word ^-^). So erm... dunno what to write. Gosh, my A/N's are getting worse and worse. TT-TT Boo.... Anywahoozles, here's chapter twenty-six. Hope ya'll enjoy and R&R for me why don't you? Chanku sweetums! XDD (I _don't_ know why I said that... let's ignore it, yush?) Ciaozies. ** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Six::**

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"I told you! I told you she'd betrayed us!" InuYasha claimed in a whisper. He and Shippo were having a private conversation and they didn't want anyone to hear what they were talking about.

_Especially Kagome,_ thought InuYasha. _She'll just nag at me for being "inconsiderate". Or she'll sit me._

"I know; you were right," Shippo sighed.

"Damn right I was right!" InuYasha cried.

"But, I don't want Ma to leave me again. I just don't want her to be in love with Sesshomaru," Shippo said.

"Hmm…" InuYasha pondered in a thought. "I can try killing him."

Shippo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "You always try that whenever you get the chance, but you always fail. Face it; Sesshomaru's just too strong for you."

InuYasha bopped Shippo on the head with his fist. "Do you want me to help you get rid of Sesshomaru?"

Shippo, on the verge of tears and rubbing his head, nodded.

"How will we do it without upsetting Nikala?" he thought out loud, tapping his chin.

"Hey InuYasha!" called Kagome, interrupting his thoughts. InuYasha scowled before turning his head to the human girl. "Can you help us slice these melons with your claws?"

"We'll continue this talk later," InuYasha said as he stood. Shippo stood on his little legs as well and followed InuYasha to help Kagome with the fruit. He mentally growled when he saw Jaken and Rin, Sesshomaru's minions.

"Hi Shippo!" Rin called with glee, waving a hand.

"Hey," Shippo muttered.

"Shippo, what's wrong?" asked Kagome. Kagome had been his second mother while Nikala was away. _She_ always looked out for him. _She _would never betray him.

_My mother… did not… betray… me… _he argued with himself. _No… yes she did. She did… by falling in love with Sesshomaru. She betrayed both me and Pa._

"Oh, we need firewood so I could heat up the leftover rice," said Kagome, speaking out loud to herself. "Hey, InuYasha, maybe you and Sesshomaru could go and find some."

Jaken burst into a hysterical laughter and InuYasha glared at her.

"No way in hell," he growled.

"That's right! Lord Sesshomaru would never go out of his way just to search for firewood. Especially with _InuYasha_!" Jaken exclaimed.

Kagome glared at him, then tossed a concerned face to InuYasha.

"Please, InuYasha. Remember what I said about becoming friendly with Sesshomaru? After all, he is your brother," she reminded. InuYasha crossed his arms and tossed his chin in the air.

"Yeah well, sometimes siblings don't get along. You'd know all about that," he retorted.

"I get along just fine with my brother!" Kagome argued. InuYasha rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," he scoffed. "I'm not going to go _search for firewood_ wood with Sesshomaru. Why don't you send Shippo and Nikala?"

"Because they're not the ones that need to learn to get along," Kagome said with annoyance in her voice. Shippo looked down and away from Kagome's face.

InuYasha scoffed again. "That's what _you_ think," he muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

Kagome sighed. "InuYasha… _sit_ boy."

InuYasha widened his eyes as he was brought to the ground by the beads of subjugation.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" he shouted, his face not entirely in the dirt, therefore his words not muffled. Kagome just gave him a little _humph_ and looked away.

"That's okay. Miroku and I will go get firewood," Sango offered as she stood. Kirara mewed and agreed to go with them. Kagome smiled half-heartedly and nodded as they started towards the forest. Kagome sighed.

"Kagome?" InuYasha asked. She narrowed her eyebrows and stubbornly refused to look at the half-demon.

"So how long has Nikala been traveling with you?" Kagome asked Rin and Jaken. Shippo looked up at her, and then glanced over to Sesshomaru's companions.

"A long time," Rin answered. "Lord Sesshomaru found Lady Nikala passed out in a field and brought her back to us so we could revive her."

Kagome raised her eyebrows. "He wanted to revive her?" she asked with surprise. Shippo widened his eyes as well.

"Yup. Lord Sesshomaru _saved_ Lady Nikala. And then they fell in love!" Rin exclaimed, cupping her hands together. Kagome smiled down at the little human girl.

"Really? That was very sweet of him," Kagome mused, shooting a look that said "I told you so" over to InuYasha, who grumbled underneath his breath.

"Sesshomaru _saved_ Ma?" Shippo asked Rin softly. Rin smiled very widely and nodded quickly.

"Yes! And Lord Sesshomaru even agreed to help Lady Nikala search for you. That's why we're here with her," Rin explained. Shippo's thoughts of hatred towards Sesshomaru immediately shifted.

So, his mother had been passed out (from looking for him?) and Sesshomaru had come to the rescue. He'd even offered to help Nikala search for him. Perhaps… he really wasn't that bad after all.

_No! He's trying to act like my father!_ Shippo argued in his mind.

_But you don't know that for sure… he's just in love with Ma._

Shippo's conscious argued with his thoughts.

_He saved your mother. He even helped her find _you._ He was there for her._

Shippo immediately felt guilty. Sesshomaru had been there for his mother while she grieved over the absence of her son, while she worried for the life of her baby. _Sesshomaru had been there_.

Shippo glanced behind him to see Sesshomaru and Nikala still talking. Their faces were serious and he could even see watery substances form at the corners of his mother's eyes, the eyes Shippo had inherited from her. The guilt panged him again and he knew that he had been inconsiderate for his mother's condition. Shippo wasn't the only one who had lost someone. Nikala had lost her mate, her one true love… and she'd also lost her son. Shippo couldn't exactly comprehend the pain of a mother's heart when her child was lost, but now he had a pretty good idea. The look on her face when they were first reunited, that look of surprise, was worth a thousand words.

Maybe it was time to give Sesshomaru a chance. He wouldn't accept him as a father, maybe not yet, but he definitely wanted to befriend him, for Nikala's sake. It was only fair to her, since Shippo had been so selfish lately with thinking that Nikala was replacing Tairoku when they'd just been reunited. If only he'd known how miserable his mother had been while they were apart. All those suffering nights, the many tears and nightmares she had… Shippo had no idea.

But Rin did. And though he did not know she did, maybe Rin would come out and make it clear how much pain Nikala really went through while searching for him.


	7. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Hey guys. Here's chapter twenty-seven. Can't talk much. Trying to beat my high score on Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook. Argh! I can't get past 15,000! How in the world did my mom get 42,000? That is INSANE! Will pull hair out soon. DX Rawr. Mmkles. R&R. Enjoy. Toodles. ^-^** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Seven::**

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Kagome called Nikala and Sesshomaru to breakfast once it was all ready. Instead of Shippo looking at Sesshomaru distastefully, he managed to break a small smile to him, a smile of thanks for taking care of his mother.

Sesshomaru widened his eyes at the small fox boy smiling at him. Wasn't he just upset with him for mating with his mother not too long ago? Yes, indeed he was, but Shippo was_ smiling_ at him now. He didn't know what to do. Finally, he returned the smile, slightly turning the edges of his lips upwards.

Nikala caught Sesshomaru in the act. She smiled widely at him.

_Sesshomaru! _she thought with delight. _This is exactly the way to help Shippo like you!_

InuYasha looked at Sesshomaru with a glare. What the hell was he doing? Why was he _smiling_? Especially at _Shippo_? And why was Shippo smiling back? Weren't they trying to get rid of Sesshomaru, not befriend him?

"Amazing. I've never seen a side so kind of Sesshomaru before," Sango whispered to Miroku and Kagome. Both nodded, but Miroku was thinking of other things.

_What a tender, luscious body. If only I could_—

"Miroku, is there something you need?" asked Nikala when she noticed him staring at her. Of course, she had no idea what was reeling through his mind, though Sango and Kagome had a pretty good idea. Sesshomaru looked Miroku's way as well, and when Miroku caught his gaze, he immediately looked away. Since Nikala was _his_ mate, he had to be especially careful, but he couldn't help that Nikala was just incredibly beautiful, as if she were unconsciously seducing him.

"No, nothing at all, my lady," Miroku said finally, his voice feeble from Sesshomaru's gaze. Did he know what was going through Miroku's mind? Could he see the explicit content he was imagining involving his mate? Miroku prayed to Buddha that he could not, although he could never recall Sesshomaru ever having the power to read minds.

"Uh-huh. It sure doesn't look like nothing," Sango murmured, her arms crossed in front of her chest as she narrowed her eyebrows at Miroku. Knowing Miroku, it wasn't too hard to tell what he was imagining, the sick lecher.

Kagome helped served the breakfast to their guests. She handed them a couple extra plastic plates she carried in her large, yellow backpack.

"Hey Kagome, did you bring any of that dry food I like? You know, the crispy, crunchy things?" InuYasha piped up, searching through her bag. Kagome sighed and looked at him with a hopeless look.

"You mean the potato chips?" she asked. InuYasha was usually never grateful for her homemade cooking. She knew he much rather preferred the chips instead of her rice and omelets, which very much upset her.

"Potato chips?" asked Nikala with confusion as she tilted her head to the side. "What are _potato chips_?"

"What is this wrapped thing?" asked Rin, picking up her omelet. Kagome had brought many ingredients from home to make them special meals so that she wouldn't have to cross time over and over just to make them food. And, she knew that her friends loved the food she made from her modern-time world. It was so new and different.

"That's an omelet, Rin," explained Shippo. "It's, uh… well it's something from Kagome's time. It's really yummy though!" he added and picked it up to stuff his mouth.

"An… omelet?" Sesshomaru wondered softly, copying Shippo's actions slowly. He raised the omelet to his mouth, stuck a bit of it inside and bit off a piece, chewing it slowly. Nikala, Rin, and Jaken watched him eagerly.

Suddenly, his golden eyes widened and he stopped in mid-chew. He looked down at the omelet in his hands.

"Sesshomaru?" called Nikala.

"How is it?" asked Kagome. As it turns out, Nikala, Rin, and Jaken weren't the only ones watching Sesshomaru with anxiousness. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and even InuYasha were watching him as well.

"It's…" Sesshomaru started and then swallowed. "It's absolutely delicious. How is it possible for such food to be appetizing?"

Kagome smiled widely. "Do you really think so?"

Sesshomaru, not like him at all, stuffed more of the omelet into his mouth. Everyone widened their eyes at this sight. No one had ever seen Sesshomaru so engulfed in _food_ before. He was rarely seen eating, for that matter.

InuYasha scoffed. "Geez Sesshomaru. Pig out much?" Nikala narrowed her eyebrows at him with annoyance and Kagome rolled her eyes at him. Then, suddenly, Sesshomaru reached over and grabbed his omelet off of his plate and scarfed that down as well.

"Hey! What gives?" InuYasha cried in complaint. The others giggled when Sesshomaru licked his lips.

"Thank you for offering your omelet to me," he said to his brother in that careless tone of his.

"Well," Kagome started, laughing feebly, "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Sesshomaru."

"It must be very delicious if my lord loved it," Rin said and took a bite out of her own omelet. Jaken and Nikala agreed and copied her. Each of their faces lit up.

"Oh my… it's delicious!" Jaken exclaimed.

"What have we been missing all this time? Kagome has brought something wonderful to our time!" Nikala said. Both had their mouths full of omelet.

Shippo giggled. "See Ma? I told you guys it was good!" he said excitedly and took a bite out of his own omelet. Everyone began to eat, Nikala offering Sesshomaru some of her own omelet since he loved it so much, except for InuYasha, who sat there with his arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed down over his angry golden eyes, watching Sesshomaru with such hate.

_What the hell, Sesshomaru? You ruin everything! Just go away! Perhaps I _will_ attempt to kill you again, since you are so vulnerable with Nikala around. I don't care what Kagome says; I'm _not_ befriending you. I will _never_ care for you as a brother… just hate you as an enemy!_


	8. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Well, a lot has happened today. First, Farrah Fawcett dies from her fight of cancer, and then couple hours later, Michael Jackson dies from a cardiac arrest. Whoa! Isn't that ultra crazy? Jeez. I mean, two incredibly huge celebrities died on the same day. :O Anyway, I have another chapter for you and I just finished chapter thirty. I'm going to try and write more chapters of my VK fanfic, since I picked up my VK book last night and was suddenly inspired yet again. Hopefully something will come to me. ^-^ Well, enjoy the chapter. It's getting a bit to the "whoa" factor, and I hope I don't make it too mature for those younger audiences, but if I do, you know have a warning. Okie dokles. R&R pleasies. Chanku! Ciaoooooo!!! :D** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Eight::**

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"We're off to help Kagome fill her water bottles and to search for more herbs for her foods," Nikala called to Sesshomaru, Shippo grasping on to her hand. Rin was sitting beside Lord Sesshomaru, but immediately stood up and ran towards her.

"Can I come too?" she asked. Nikala smiled widely and nodded her head.

"Of course you can, dear one," she said sweetly. Rin smiled and grabbed on to Nikala's empty hand. Shippo looked at Rin curiously. Did she think of his mother as her own too? What had happened to her own parents?

Sesshomaru stood up as well and walked with his natural grace towards his lover. Nikala looked up into his golden eyes and notice them smile at her with such love, though his lips formed a perfectly straight line.

"Will you be okay out in the forest without me?" he asked softly. Rin giggled at his affection and protection for his mate.

"It's so sweet how Lord Sesshomaru talks to Lady Nikala!" she whispered to Shippo behind Nikala's legs. Of course, Sesshomaru had heard her, but chose to ignore it.

Nikala giggled. "Of course, love. I'm a strong fox demon, aren't I?" she mused, letting go of Rin to stroke Sesshomaru's face. Sesshomaru held her hand to his cheek before she let it go.

"Of course you are. Don't be reckless like with the beetle demon," he warned.

Nikala sighed. "I had that under control. Besides, I'll be with Kagome. She's a powerful priestess, remember?"

Sesshomaru didn't respond, but let her hand go.

"I'll be fine," Nikala reassured. "Try talking with InuYasha. Maybe we could work on searching for that arm of yours," she suggested and grabbed a hold of Rin's tiny hand again. Sesshomaru's face grew repugnant from the thought of having to befriend his ignorant half-breed half-brother. He turned away from her.

"Sesshomaru…" Nikala groaned, knowing the look on his face. She rose an eyebrow and sighed when he didn't look back at her. "Well, we're off. Kagome's waiting."

With that, Nikala turned around, holding on to both children, and walked away towards Kagome, who was waiting just outside the clearing. Sesshomaru watched her leave, watching how her tail swung serenely back and forth. His eyes lingered there for quite some time, slowly dropping his gaze further down.

_No!_ he shouted in his mind. _What is wrong with you? Now is not the time for perverse thoughts!_

His eyes wandered back at the others. The demon-slayer seemed okay, but the monk was definitely questionable. What was with his staring at _his_ mate? His eyes normally lingered on her body for quite some time than one would normally look at a person. He would stare at her for hours on end, even when he conversed with his companions. The demon-slayer knew what was going on, Sesshomaru presumed, because she always smacked him upside his head when she caught him staring.

_Perhaps I should show him who Nikala belongs to?_ thought Sesshomaru, his irritation rising more and more. Nikala was _Sesshomaru's_ mate; how dare another man lay eyes on her?

But he was soon interrupted by Jaken's voice.

"My lord! It's the half-breed. He's coming!" he whispered, tugging on Sesshomaru's hakama. Sesshomaru then sensed InuYasha coming up from behind him, glaring.

"Okay Sesshomaru. What's the deal? Why are you still here?" InuYasha growled, pointing one of his sharp-clawed fingers at him. Sesshomaru stared at him, again with a look that showed he had no interest in what InuYasha had to say. He turned his back and began walking towards a sturdy log to sit down on. InuYasha growled again and followed him.

"Hey! Sesshomaru! Listen to me when I talk to you!"

Sesshomaru sensed Miroku and Sango's head turning their direction.

"Oh no, InuYasha's going to do something stupid," Sesshomaru heard Miroku whispered.

"Butt out, Miroku!" InuYasha snapped, also hearing what the monk had muttered.

"Your friends know you well," Sesshomaru said smugly. InuYasha growled and grabbed hold of Tetsusaiga's ratty handle, pulling it out of its sheath. It transformed into the magnificent fang of his father, the handle now strong and adorned with fur at the edge where the blade began.

"Shut up, Sesshomaru. Come on! Let me kill you!" InuYasha raged on. Sesshomaru looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"No thank you. I have no interest in battling you," he replied, looking away.

InuYasha became enraged. What in the world was Sesshomaru blabbering? How could he say that he was not interested in battling InuYasha? Wasn't he his number one opponent? His arch-enemy? After all, Sesshomaru wanted InuYasha dead so he could take his fang. Well, here was his opportunity— not that he was going to win, of course, but still! InuYasha was standing right in front of him, ready to fight, and Sesshomaru didn't have a care in the world about it.

"Why _not_?" InuYasha shouted. "Try and take Tetsusaiga away from me! Try to kill me! It's what you want!"

"And since when do you care for what I want? Tell me, little brother: are you actually developing feelings for me?" Sesshomaru snuck a glance at him through the corner of his eye. InuYasha looked taken aback.

What? Why in the seven hells would InuYasha develop feelings for _Sesshomaru_? _Sesshomaru?! _Of all people! Was he joking? He had to be joking.

"_No! _Of course not!" InuYasha spat.

"Then tell me why you are getting so worked up on displaying my desires? Shouldn't you be trying to attack with surprise, rather than to confront me? It's what a _smart_ demon would _think_ to do. Apparently that doesn't really apply to you, does it?" Sesshomaru said, really getting underneath InuYasha's skin. InuYasha, now beet red and eyes glowering, he raised Tetsusaiga and took a swing at Sesshomaru, roaring in the process.

"RARRRRRGH!"

InuYasha swung the Tetsusaiga at Sesshomaru, but missed and struck the now-crumbled log instead. Sesshomaru had swiftly dodged the blade's swing and stood behind InuYasha, his arm rose and wrist twisted, ready to strike him in surprise. His fingers began to glow with that bright light he had sliced the beetle demon with.

"Seshomaru, no!" Miroku cried in protest. InuYasha turned behind him to see Sesshomaru armed and swung at him again. Miroku and Sango quickly grabbed their weapons— Miroku's staff and Sango's boomerang bone— and ran to InuYasha's side.

"Back down, both of you!" Sango ordered. InuYasha glared at her, but Sesshomaru chose to ignore the both of them all together. His focus was on InuYasha.

"How dare you interfere in Lord Sesshomaru's battles! He will kill you too without any hesitance!" Jaken chimed. Sango and Miroku threw daggers at Jaken as Miroku hit him on the head with his staff.

"InuYasha, Sesshomaru, please… what is going on?" Miroku asked, trying to remain calm.

"Have you two suddenly lost your minds? Why is it that you two decide to go into battle when Nikala and Kagome leave?" Sango questioned.

"Not to mention the little ones, Shippo and Rin," Miroku added.

"This is none of your business! You two butt out of this! I'm going to deal with Sesshomaru myself, since no one else will," InuYasha spat, glaring back at his brother. Sesshomaru studied InuYasha with slightly narrowed eyebrows.

"Sesshomaru posed no threat to us when he arrived with the others," Miroku explained. "There was no need to take action."

"Are you kidding?" InuYasha asked with disbelief. "How the hell could Sesshomaru _not_ pose a _threat_? He's evil! All he cares about is himself and gaining the Tetsusaiga! Have we forgotten who Sesshomaru really is?"

Sesshomaru clenched his fingers and a low growl escaped his lips. InuYasha eyed him suspiciously.

"How dare you say I only care for myself?" he whispered menacingly. "Have _you_ forgotten who I travel with?"

"Exactly why we should be suspecting you! You _can't_ fall in love, Sesshomaru! It's not in your nature!"

"I am a dog!" Sesshomaru roared. "It is _absolutely_ in my nature to fall in love! You wouldn't know since you only have half the traits us full dog demons possess! You are in no position to speak to me that way!" Sesshomaru breathed sharply. Jaken stared at him with admiration, his bug eyes wide and proud.

"I am Lord Sesshomaru, the most powerful demon of all Japan, Lord of the Western Lands. You dare defile me, bring me to shame, claim that I possess no love in my heart? Nikala of the fox demons is _my_ mate. I am attached to her, as she to me."

InuYasha's lip twitched. Sesshomaru unsheathed Tokijin and crossed blades with his brother.

"What do you have to say to that?" Sesshomaru hissed as he stuck his face into InuYasha's through their blades. His eyebrows were narrowed downward. Not only had he insulted Sesshomaru, but he had insulted his mate too, at least the love they had between each other. Did InuYasha believe that that love was not real?

"It's… impossible for you… to love," InuYasha said with a struggle, having a hard time believing.

Sesshomaru backed off on the swords and sheathed Tokijin once again. His eyebrows remained furrowed over his brilliant golden eyes.

"_Anybody can fall in love, InuYasha. _Even_ Sesshomaru," _Kagome's words echoed in InuYasha's mind.

"The reason I am here is because Nikala _wants_ to be here," said Sesshomaru, not taking his eyes off of his half-brother, "and I will not stand to be apart from her. I will not stand to risk losing the woman I've finally fallen in love with."


	9. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Yo. Well, I'm practically bored out of my mind right now. Sorry for the super-short chapter... I have chapter thirty already written and I think I might start chapter thirty-one. Oh, my pancakes are almost ready, I think. Will write more later. R&R please. Enjoy. Ciao. ** -Michele**

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****::Chapter Twenty-Nine::**

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Sango, Miroku, and Jaken all simmered down while listening to Sesshomaru's lecture, convinced of his feelings, but InuYasha was definitely not. He stubbornly sheathed Tetsusaiga, then crossed his arms.

"Then prove it," he said. Sesshomaru looked at him curiously. "Prove that you are in love with her."

"InuYasha, this is ridiculous," Miroku said. "How is Sesshomaru going to physically prove that? He—" Miroku stopped in mid-sentence. His eyes widened and turned his head to Sesshomaru.

"What, monk?" Sesshomaru questioned with irritation and curiosity.

"Miroku! InuYasha! Why would you even consider that?" Sango cried with anger. Sesshomaru looked back and forth at them, confused at what they were talking about. For once, he was actually quite interested in what they had to say.

"It's the only way! Besides, how do we know Sesshomaru has the guts to do it?" InuYasha said. Sango groaned.

"InuYasha! That's disgusting!"

Sesshomaru was angry now. _What _was disgusting? What were they talking about? He grabbed hold of the neck of InuYasha's robes and pulled him close to his face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sesshomaru asked through bared teeth.

"We're just talking about the way you have to prove to me you're actually _in love_ with Nikala," InuYasha said.

"And how is that? But since when do I have to prove anything to you?"

"Your time here will not be spent leisurely if you don't. I might just kill you while during your stay."

Sesshomaru laughed. "Funny, little brother. As if you could kill Sesshomaru." InuYasha growled.

"InuYasha, just explain it to him," Miroku sighed. Sango groaned again.

InuYasha nodded. "Right. Sesshomaru, you're going to have to make love with Nikala. Tonight."

*** * ***

Nikala and Kagome came wandering back into the clearing with the little ones trailing close behind them. Rin and Shippo really had started getting along. They talked about many things, especially their families.

Shippo had discovered that Rin's family had unfortunately been killed by bandits. She had lost her mother, father, and even her brother. And then, not too much longer, she had been mauled by a pack of wolves. She was killed right then and there.

"But Lord Sesshomaru saved me with Tensaiga. Ever since then I've been following him and am forever in his debt. I owe Lord Sesshomaru my life," Rin said proudly. Nikala smiled down at Rin as Kagome eyed her in awe. She was really surprised that Sesshomaru had done to doing such an act of kindness. He had revived a girl from the dead… a _human_ girl.

"Wow. Sesshomaru really is different," Kagome whispered. Nikala nodded, her smile growing.

"And this was long before he'd come across me," she mentioned.

"Was it love at first sight?" asked Kagome eagerly. Nikala's smile slightly dropped.

"No, not quite. At least not for me it was. I was still grieving over Tairoku at the time, and Sesshomaru and I weren't exactly on good terms. I was just trying to stay on his good side, but he is so temperamental. I had upset him quite a few times," she admitted.

"Like when she asked about Tensaiga and if Lord Sesshomaru could use it to revive her former mate," Rin pitched in. Shippo looked up at his mother.

"You really did that, Ma?" he asked. Nikala craned her neck behind her and smiled down at her fox boy.

"Yes, I certainly did," she answered with a nod.

They entered the clearing where they saw everyone standing around, looking awkward and annoyed. Nikala and Kagome exchanged looks of confusion.

"We're back," Kagome called, waving an arm in the air. They turned their way and then dispersed back into casual.

Nikala and Kagome eyed the group suspiciously, and then Sango came to walk towards them.

"Kagome, may I have a word?" she asked politely. Nikala excused them and they walked off to find some privacy.

"Wonder what that's about," Shippo thought out loud.

"Yes, I wonder…" Nikala echoed. As Sango dragged Kagome far off to the other side of the clearing, keeping their voices low anyway, she could see the look of horror spread on Kagome's face as Sango continued to speak. Kagome then began to speak, as if in a question, and Sango nodded.

_What could this be about?_ Nikala wondered as she watched them in confusion and with curiosity.

Kagome looked Nikala's way and Nikala widened her eyes with anxiousness. Was Kagome going to tell her? Was she going to tell her what in the world was going on?

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin exclaimed when the mighty dog demon approached them. Nikala turned around and met face-to-face with her mate.

"Sesshomaru," Nikala said with relief. She smiled up at him, happy, of course, to see his face.

"Nikala," Sesshomaru started, his voice low. Nikala tilted her head and raised her eyebrows, her ears twitching. What was it he had to say in such a low tone?

"Yes, my love?"

"I'd rather talk privately, if you don't mind," he said. Nikala looked down at the eager children staring up at them. She looked back at her mate and nodded.

"Rin, Shippo, please excuse us," Nikala said and she and Sesshomaru wandered back into the forest for this important _talk_.


	10. Chapter Thirty

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Went to my cousin's first birthday party! She's adorable! Uploading pics on Facebook right now. d: Anyway, so I've written a LOT of Beyond the Darkness, it's incredible. So you guys will have lots to read. Hooray! Okie dokes well... off to write more BTD!!! Enjoy and R&R pleasies! Chanku! DON'T DO DRUGS. ^-^ Ciao. **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty::**

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InuYasha had completely lost it. Sesshomaru could not believe that he had actually been talked into doing this. Of course, he'd have to talk to Nikala about it. After all, she was the one Sesshomaru would be making love to.

For the first time in his entire life, Sesshomaru was embarrassed. He could feel the warm sensation rise in his cheeks as he began to flush the slightest red. Nikala noticed and wondered what was going through his mind.

"Sesshomaru, my love, you're blushing," she stated. He cursed himself for exposing himself likewise. He chose to ignore her and led her farther into the forest with greater speed.

"Sesshomaru! What is going on?" she asked suddenly with great irritation. He had been tugging on her and with his increase in speed, his tug became more forceful. Sesshomaru stopped and narrowed his eyebrows. Damn that InuYasha for talking him into doing such a thing!

"Nikala, I… there's something that… needs to be done… between us," he started, very slowly and looking straight at the ground. She tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"What?"

"We…. The others do not actually believe we are in love with each other," Sesshomaru continued. Nikala's face twisted with shock.

"What? How could they? But they've acted like they have all of this time! Kagome believes we are," Nikala cried in protest.

"Kagome was not there when we discussed this," Sesshomaru mentioned.

"Who is we?" she asked with irritation.

"Myself, the monk, the demon-slayer, and the half-breed," he answered.

"What exactly did you four discuss?" Nikala crossed her arms as her eyebrows knitted together.

Sesshomaru growled, and then let out a roar. He was so sick of having to feel weak and embarrassed. Lord Sesshomaru was _never_ weak and _never_ embarrassed!

"They want us to make love… tonight!" he blurted, much to Nikala's surprise. She widened her eyes and flushed a deep crimson. Sesshomaru's hand clenched into a fist as he too blushed ever so slightly.

"Oh," Nikala said. "They… want us to do this because they don't believe in our love?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Yes, and supposedly doing so will prove to them that we are truly in love."

"And this was something you all came up with?"

"No!" Sesshomaru blurted. "No, it was anything _but_ my idea. I took no part in coming up with that. It was InuYasha who did."

Nikala cocked her head and narrowed her eyebrows in concentration. "So, you are taking on your brother's order?"

Sesshomaru bared his teeth at this. "I _never_ take order from anyone! _Especially_ InuYasha," he hissed. Nikala pressed her body against his and ran her hands up his chest, her expression seductive.

"But do you _want_ to make love to me, my lord?" she whispered sultrily. Sesshomaru widened his eyes and a large lump was stuck in his throat. His heart was beating ten times as fast than his usual heart rate. This sensation was new. He'd never felt like this before around Nikala. He _yearned_ for her.

"Yes," he whispered even softer, leaning down into her. His single hand ran down her left arm, fingering the hem of her kimono at her shoulder first. Nikala grinned and kissed his chin, sighing.

"Well Sesshomaru," she started, "it's a date."

*** * ***

InuYasha eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously all day. Everyone but the little ones knew what was going on. Sesshomaru had threatened to keep this from Rin and to not "accidentally" let it slip or he would abandon him (which, to Jaken, was a lot worse than dying slowly of an agonizing poison). Kagome, Sango, and Miroku stared anxiously at Nikala and Sesshomaru as well, Miroku really staring at Nikala with anxiousness.

_Just a peek… in the bath… that's all I'm asking,_ he pleaded to his god. _Just to see that luscious body… that plump chest… those beautiful hips…._

It wasn't fair that Sesshomaru got to see her naked _tonight_. Miroku was good enough, wasn't he? He just wanted a peek!

_Maybe if I convince her to bathe before they make love…_

No, what was he thinking? How awkward would it be for _him_ to offer Nikala a bath? She wouldn't buy it.

Sango and Kagome gathered together as they walked over to Kagome's backpack. Miroku noticed Kagome take out a towel and immediately his insides fluttered. She and Sango were off to the hot springs!

_Bring Lady Nikala with you,_ he prayed.

And then, Kagome and Sango trailed over to Nikala and Sesshomaru, cuddling with each other, Rin and Shippo in the middle of them.

_They truly do look like a family, _Miroku thought with envy. But, why? Why was he envious? For the past months of traveling with Sango, he'd developed feelings for the young demon-slayer, though he remained lecherous towards other women. But what was this new feeling he felt for the fox demon? Surely he couldn't be shifting feelings, could he? He'd always felt something more than friendship with the demon-slayer, but perhaps he was just falling in lust with Nikala.

"Nikala," Sango called. Nikala, along with the other three, looked up at the two human women looking down at them.

"We were wondering if you and the children would like to join us in a bath?" Kagome offered. Rin and Shippo gasped and looked up at Nikala with eagerness. Nikala glanced over at her mate with a smile. He nodded.

"We'd love to," she answered and helped herself to her feet. The little ones cried with excitement and pulled on Nikala's arms eagerly. "Okay, okay!" she cried. "I'm coming."

With that, Sango and Kagome led the Nikala and the excited young ones to the hot springs further into the forest, an eager Miroku waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak away to peek.

_Thank goodness I know where the springs are._


	11. Chapter Thirty One

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Yo peeps. Talking to ma bestie on the phone. d: So anyway, I've been writing oober good chapters that I hope you'll find :O worthy. ^-^ :O is kind of the expression I'm going for. Hopefully I get you guys there. Mmkles. Enjoy! Ciao! OH! And chapter thirty-three is where it gets a bit OT+ (older teens and up, starting at age sixteen). It gets quite a bit sensual. Just forewarning you younger audiences. KK. R&R. Chanku! Ciao. **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-One::**

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The five of them headed off into the forest and Miroku sat and waited just a bit. He could feel the tension between Sesshomaru and InuYasha, though they acted like neither existed. InuYasha sat to his back to everyone, his arms and legs crossed, and Sesshomaru far away against a tree (as usual) with his leg folded up and his only arm resting on it, Jaken kneeling beside him.

Miroku eyed Sesshomaru with furrowed brows. If only Nikala wasn't mated to _him_, he would have already made a lecherous move. His hands longed to graze that round backside of hers, to caress her large breasts. It was not fair!

After what seemed long enough, Miroku stood, brushed off his monk robes, and followed the women at the springs. InuYasha's ear twitched as he heard the rustle Miroku made and turned.

"Where are _you_ going?" he asked suspiciously. Miroku turned his head.

"Just out for a walk," he said, coolly. "Going to clear my thoughts. After today I'm sure we've all been a little stressed out." He glanced at Sesshomaru through the corner of his eye. The majestic dog demon made no indication that he was even listening to a word the monk had to say. InuYasha rose his eyebrows, and then lowered them.

"Feh. No kidding. If _they_ weren't here, none of this would be happening," InuYasha whispered.

"Insolent half-breed as always, InuYasha," Sesshomaru remarked, his eyes closed and face concentrated. InuYasha rolled his eyes at his older half-brother.

"Shut up Sesshomaru before I cut off your other arm," InuYasha spat. Suddenly, before Miroku could even blink, Sesshomaru was standing right above InuYasha, Tokijin drawn and ready to strike.

InuYasha growled and withdrew Tetsusaiga, crossing blades with Sesshomaru yet again. Sesshomaru glared at his pathetic younger brother. How could such a pitiful being be related to the Great Dog Demon, Inutaisho? It was absurd and degrading for Sesshomaru's father to have helped birth such a lowly creature. A half-demon? Sesshomaru thought such distaste for the word. It was poison on his tongue.

"Heh, gonna try and finally beat me, Sesshomaru?" InuYasha taunted softly. Sesshomaru's expression gave no recognition of InuYasha's words. His face remained expressionless and neutral, but he did push harder onto his blade, putting more power over InuYasha.

"InuYasha, Sesshomaru! Stop it this instant!" shouted the monk, running towards them, the clinking of the rings on his staff sounding the entire way.

"Back off, Miroku! Stay out of this! I'll finally be able to take down Sesshomaru once and for all!" InuYasha shouted at his friend. "I don't care if you're in love. You can't fall in love with anyone! You don't love anyone but yourself! You selfish, greedy bastard! Only wanting Tetsusaiga to gain both of the old man's swords so you can truly be the strongest demon in all of Japan! Well I'm _sick_ of it! I'm sick of _you_! I feel sorry for Nikala, having fallen in love with a demon who doesn't love her back."

InuYasha's words touched Sesshomaru's heart and made him so angry. He began to growl and could feel the ultimate demon power he truly possessed awake, unleashing his true form. The purple marks underneath his now glowing red eyes were extended into jagged stripes.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Wait!" Jaken cried. "You know what Lady Nikala said! She refrains you from going into any death match with InuYasha. You don't want to hurt her, do you?"

Sesshomaru breathed heavily and suppressed his dog demon power back. His blood red eyes returned to their usual gold and the jagged stripes and smoothed themselves back.

He once again drew back his blade. "Again, why do I even bother with you? No half-demon is worth any time of Sesshomaru," he said majestically and sheathed Tokijin, walking back to his spot against the tree, Jaken following him like a dog.

InuYasha drilled glares into his brother's back. How could he _again_ back down from a fight? How could he actually listen to Jaken when he said Nikala refrained him from fighting? Who was she, his nagging housewife? It wasn't InuYasha who was the pathetic one, it was Sesshomaru.

"Come, InuYasha. We need to walk this off," Miroku said, placing a hand on his tense shoulder. InuYasha agreed and sheathed Tetsusaiga once again, then followed his friend into the forest, leaving Sesshomaru alone at their campsite.

"The bastard. I can't believe he backed down again!" InuYasha cried.

"Jaken had said that Lady Nikala did not want him fighting," Miroku reminded.

"So? That wouldn't stop Sesshomaru from doing _anything_! I just don't understand why it did! She's just a fox-demon woman!"

"InuYasha, you have yet to learn the ways of women, demons or not," Miroku said. InuYasha rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you'd know all about that," he growled. "Where are we going anyway? And… why do I smell fox demons and humans? And— Miroku, you sick bastard… why are you leading us to the hot springs?" He shouted the last bit in a whisper.

"It's nothing, really," Miroku assured.

"You want to peep!"

"Just a small, short one," Miroku admitted. InuYasha widened his eyes and dropped his jaw in disgust. Miroku arched an eyebrow. "Oh come on. Don't tell me you wouldn't kill to see _Kagome _in the bath."

"Gross! Miroku, if you get caught spying on them…" InuYasha warned.

"I just want to see _her_," Miroku whispered, forgetting that InuYasha had no idea of his feelings for Nikala. InuYasha turned his head sharply to him.

"You wouldn't—"

Miroku bit his lip. "I have to. Just this once and then I never will ever again."

InuYasha scoffed. "Phhbt, yeah, like you'll keep _that_ promise," he said sarcastically.

"It's so tempting," Miroku went on. "Her body, those hips… those _breasts_. Large and round and—"

InuYasha's insides whirled. What the hell was Miroku talking about? Did he really find Nikala that seducing?

Then again, he couldn't help but admit that she was indeed a beauty. Miroku was absolutely right about her appearance. How had Sesshomaru been able to score such a beautiful woman?

His feelings shifted towards awkwardness. Nikala was mated to Sesshomaru (at least they liked to say they were), his half-brother. How wrong was it to fall in lust with his mate? Nikala was supposedly InuYasha's sister now, since this whole mating thing was in place.

As the two men neared them, they could see the steam from the hot bath fogging their vision and could hear the voices from the others. However, a tall hedge blocked their view from them, serving as a sort of privacy wall.

Miroku raised a finger to his lips and both he and InuYasha crept up on the bathing group. They moved some of the branches of the hedge into a small peep hole for each of them and got a clear view of the group of women and two children. Their eyebrows rose to their hairlines with surprise.

They had a crystal clear view of Nikala's entire naked body. She was standing in the bath, playing with her son, splashing him a bit. Her tail swung back and forth playfully while the three human girls watched them with wide smiles, happy for the small family.

"_Damn,"_ InuYasha whispered as his eyes slowly scanned the fox-demon woman's soaked body. Every inch of her peach skin glimmered from the water in the sun.

Miroku's heart beat a million times faster as his entire body began to harden at the sight of her. Her smile, her face, her hips, her body… everything was so overwhelming to take in. Indeed Sesshomaru _was_ a lucky man. How could someone be so lucky as to have a woman such as she in the palm of his hand?

"If Sesshomaru finds us, we're sure as hell _damned _to Hell," InuYasha mentioned in a whisper to Miroku, but he was too stunned by her beauty. She was seducing him, Nikala was. She didn't know it, but just by looking at her made Miroku want her more than he'd wanted any other woman, including Sango. What was going on with this demon?

Miroku gulped and stuck his head even further into the hedge, making his peep hole a bit bigger. InuYasha looked at him strangely.

"Miroku, what's wrong with you? Stop or you'll get us caught!" he whispered and tugged on his robes.

"I… can't. I must _have_ her…" he murmured.

She was laughing now, her laughter ringing through his ears. She splashed Shippo again and continued laughing.

"Miroku, snap out of it! Come on! If Sesshomaru finds us—" InuYasha was cut off by a low growl coming from behind him.

Sesshomaru was standing tall and menacing, watching them peep on his mate bathing.


	12. Chapter Thirty Two

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Uggggh! Finally I was able to upload this chapter. I had to reload the page and try again because fanfiction was just not working! DX Rawr! Anyway, again with the rating... it's going to start getting OT+ from here and on out to the next one. I don't know about the future. I think it's going back down to T, but still... don't say I didn't warn you, younger audiences. o-O I'm not your parent, so I can't say what you can and can't read. If you want to read OT stuff and you are under sixteen, then be my guest. I'm not going to stop you, but just beware that OT stuff sometimes gets inappropriate. I'm not writing any lemons, I promise; it just gets a bit sensual in the next chapter. Well, enjoy and R&R please! Chanku and ciao! [: **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Two::**

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"Shippo!" squealed Nikala while they had a splash war. Sango and Kagome serenely sat off to the side and watched as Nikala played with both Rin and Shippo. Rin had just recently joined into the splash war, thinking it would be fun. Boy, was she right.

"Ha! Got you, Ma!" exclaimed Shippo excitedly after he had splashed his mother. Nikala shielded her face and gave him a playful scowl.

"Oh no you don't!" she said and swiped her arm at the water.

Suddenly, her ears perked up and she straightened her back, her face serious now. Everyone looked up at her curiously.

"Nikala?" Sango called.

"Lady Nikala? What is it?" asked Rin.

Nikala raised a finger to her lips and shushed them all. She tilted her head to one side—the side closest to the large hedge that blocked them from society—and then suddenly widened her eyes with shock. She immediately ducked into the water, hiding her body in the fog.

"What? What is it?" asked Kagome with worry.

"Ma?" Shippo looked up at her with worry as well.

"We've been peeped on!" she whispered, her face turning beat red. Sango and Kagome turned to face each other, their faces also flushing bright red, but with angry, not embarrassment. The both of them clenched their fingers into fists.

"_Who's been peepin'?"_ hissed Kagome through bared teeth.

"Sesshomaru's caught Miroku and InuYasha," Nikala said, trying to listen in on their conversation. "And it appears that they now know I can hear them. Sesshomaru and InuYasha can hear us speak even when we whisper."

"Oh I do hope they're listening," Sango said viciously.

"You bet," Kagome agreed. "InuYasha…," Kagome started, sucking in a lot of air and standing up, "_SIT!"_

They bathers heard a loud boom from the other side of the hedge, the ground shaking.

"The subjugation beads sure do come in handy," Sango mentioned.

"And I'm definitely not done yet," said Kagome and prepared herself for a mouthful of _sits_. _"Sitsitsitsitsitsitsitsit!"_

The ground shook violently, as if there was an earthquake occurring, as InuYasha was dragged further into the ground by the beads. Kagome made a little _humph_ and sat back down into the water, her arms folded across her bare chest.

"That's what you get for peeping, you sicko," she retorted. Nikala bit her lips.

"Oh, Sesshomaru was scolding InuYasha before you activated the beads," noted Nikala. Kagome flushed a rosy pink.

"Oops!" she said sheepishly. "Sorry Sesshomaru…"

Nikala smiled. "It's okay. I'm sure he'll understand that that was in your fury," she said. Kagome and Sango smiled back at her and nodded.

*** * ***

Later that night, InuYasha and Miroku were beat up complete with large bumps on their head from the furious fist of Sesshomaru for peeking at his mate, and also a couple of whacks from Sango and Kagome.

"You were right, InuYasha," said Sesshomaru smugly. "You two are _both_ damned to Hell." He growled, baring his teeth angrily at them as he wrapped his arm securely around Nikala's waist, who was nibbling on a piece of dried seaweed, remaining oblivious to what Sesshomaru was speaking of, pretending it never happened. Sango and Kagome, however, had been giving the two of them a very hard time about what they had done and completely agreed that Sesshomaru had done right.

"He should have killed them right then and there. I wouldn't have minded," growled Sango, both she and Kagome giving Miroku and InuYasha evil eyes and making them quiver in fear of them.

"Why'd you have to lead me there anyway?" hissed InuYasha in a whisper to Miroku, sitting apart from the others. "It was all your idea anyway to peep at Nikala! You were just so desperate to see her _naked_!"

Miroku sighed. "It was well worth it," he said, satisfied. "I just wish that now I can actually feel what that body feels like." InuYasha gagged and turned away from the monk.

"Yeah, if you want Sesshomaru to tear you to shreds. Your funeral, pal," InuYasha remarked.

After their supper, Nikala had put Shippo and Rin to sleep next to A-Un, who was still feeding on a small patch of grass. She draped a blanket over the both of them as they cuddled together in their sleep. The sight made Nikala smile widely.

_My sweet, darling children,_ she thought proudly. _I love you both so much_.

She kissed the tops of their heads one at a time before rising to her feet. She met Sesshomaru when she stood. He wrapped his arm around her and hugged her close to his chest. Nikala closed her eyes and smiled, sliding her arms around his middle. His white fur grazed her face and the soft touch made her insides swirl. She loved to be graced with his touch.

"Nikala, my love," Sesshomaru started. "Sh-shall we then?"

Of course, they both knew what Sesshomaru meant by this. It was time to prove to InuYasha that their love was indeed _real_. Nikala thought it ridiculous, however, to have to try and prove something such as love to him. It wasn't their fault he didn't believe that the love they held for each other was real and true. In fact, it wasn't fair to them.

But they wanted to do this. They wanted to try it out and experience, especially Sesshomaru, nervous as he may be. This love-making thing was completely foreign and new to him, yet it was also so exciting and scary. Could he mess up? Was there a way to do this wrong? What if he embarrassed himself? What if he made himself look like a fool and lost Nikala to this stupid session? He bared his teeth and shook his mind of all negative thoughts. Tonight would go well. Nothing was going to go wrong.

Besides, tonight was the night where Sesshomaru's inner dog hormones would release themselves. Mating was in his nature—his true dog demon nature.


	13. Chapter Thirty Three

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: WARNING: Rated OT+ for sensuality.** Just letting you guys know that this is indeed _that_ chapter. Proceed to read (haha that rhymed), but beware that this is rated for OT+ (sixteen and older) readers. On that note, enjoy the chapter and R&R please! Chanku! Ciao! OH! And Happy Fourth of July to those who live in the States! If you don't, well then, Happy Just-Another-Ordinary-Day Day to you guys. ROFL! Okay, enjoyyy! [: **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Three::**

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InuYasha, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku watched Sesshomaru and Nikala escape into the forest again, this time for what they were anticipating.

"I can't believe it; Sesshomaru might actually have the guts to make love with Nikala," InuYasha said, shocked. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You only know Sesshomaru as the bad guy who tries to steal your sword, but don't you ever think about there being another side to him? You know, like a_ nicer_ side to Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked. InuYasha looked at her strangely.

"Why the hell would I think of _that_? Kagome, he _is_ the bad guy who tries to steal my sword. That's who Sesshomaru is, not some demon to mate with," InuYasha said.

"So why did you send him off to do that with her?" Sango asked.

"To prove that they don't really love each other. Sesshomaru's not going to make love to her. He just won't; he can't."

"He _was_ right about it being in his dog nature though," Miroku noted, it being mentally painful to imagine Nikala making love with anyone else but him. How he'd love for it to be him exploring her, rather than _Sesshomaru_.

"Maybe we should go check if he's going to do it," InuYasha suggested. Kagome and Sango widened their eyes in horror.

"_No!"_ they cried in unison, almost waking the young ones, and also Jaken, who didn't have anyone else to trail since Sesshomaru threatened him to let him be tonight, so he'd just fallen asleep.

"You can't just peek in on them while they're having… well…" Kagome stuttered. "Well you know," she finally added.

"It's _invading their privacy_," Sango added. "Of course, you two would know _all_ about that, wouldn't you?" She gave Miroku and InuYasha dirty looks.

"Hey, that was all Miroku's idea. I didn't even know where we were going! He just told me we were going on 'a walk'," InuYasha said.

"You knew plenty well where we were headed once you figured it out and you never backed out," Miroku corrected, narrowing his eyebrows and crossing his arms over his chest.

Kagome and Sango growled as they tossed icy glares at a now quivering InuYasha, who hid behind Miroku from the two murderous-looking women.

"Sesshomaru and Nikala really are in love with each other," said Kagome, lifting the murderous feeling she felt for InuYasha. "I can feel it. I'm pretty confident that they will convince you, InuYasha, that their love is real. And if not, well you're just as feeble-minded as that rock over there." She pointed to a small boulder in front of them where Sango and Miroku broke into a fit of giggles.

*** * ***

They were cuddling with each other just above the shore of a lake next to a cherry blossom tree, haven't doing anything just yet. They had stopped to relax from their long walk away from the clearing for privacy. The others wouldn't have followed them this far just to make sure they were making love— Sesshomaru was sure of that.

Her hand ran up his chest, grabbing hold of one of the horns of the spiked pauldron that went across his chest and over his left shoulder. She dug her face into his side so she wouldn't be digging into the plate of armor on his chest. Sesshomaru's fur wrapped around Nikala's legs, as her tail wrapped around his fur.

"Mmm… my lord," she sighed. "How peaceful it is to be here, just the two of us."

Sesshomaru had made a face at her addressing him as her lord, but made no comment on it. Instead, he nodded in agreement and hugged her tighter.

"Indeed, my love. I do find it peaceful as well."

She looked up at Sesshomaru, watching him look out into the shimmering lake, unaware that she was looking at him. She reached up to touch his face and he glanced down at her. Her face was more serious now.

"Do you suppose the others are suspecting us of making love now?" she asked. Sesshomaru looked away from her.

"I don't know. I'm not tuned in to what they are saying," he said, Nikala knowing that Sesshomaru could hear voices from miles and miles away so clearly. "I'm too busy thinking of you."

Nikala smiled and leaned up to kiss his jaw. "Oh, Sesshomaru," she sighed again and continued to kiss his jaw until she finally reached his lips where Sesshomaru seemed to take the reigns. His heart beat quickly and could feel the inner dog hormones releasing. His lips moved quickly along with hers, his tongue unconsciously slithering into her mouth, wanting to touch her own, to entangle itself with her own. Her arms reached up to wrap themselves around his neck as his arm boost her up from underneath her thighs to him, pushing her face more into his.

His arm trailed upward, feeling the soft fur of her golden tail touch his hand. He grabbed hold of it gently, making Nikala jump just the slightest, and smoothed it out. He replaced his hand at the edge of her tail when his hand discovered new territory.

Sesshomaru's hand ran along Nikala's backside, feeling how soft and round it was. He then came across her thighs, then realizing how short her kimono ended. The hormones of his inner dog were raging and flowing through his arm, guiding him where to go and what to do. His mind raced as the hormones overwhelmed him. He wanted to go everywhere! He wanted to experience everything!

His hand immediately shot up her kimono and Nikala gasped.

"Sesshomaru!" she cried and grasped hold of the neck of his own kimono. Sesshomaru eagerly glanced down to see where his hand was traveling, riding up her thigh, near places that he'd seen while she was bathing. Near places he now wanted to feel, to _touch_.

"Oh, Sesshomaru," Nikala moaned as she began to run her hands down his chest again and to his waist, immediately untying the yellow sash tied around it. After that, while pressing her lips against his chin and his bottom lip, she went to work on his armor, pulling off everything she could get her hands on. Off went the plate of armor. Off went the spiked pauldron, until finally she was left with him wearing just his kimono, hakama, and pointed boots. His swords were cast aside along with all of his other armor.

Sesshomaru began kissing her back, nibbling on her top lip. His hands reached down behind her, feeling where her tail began and the actual skin of her rear end. He could hear Nikala moan again as she this time slipped her hands inside his kimono, slipping it off slowly. To help her, his fur unraveled itself from around his right shoulder. She pulled out his kimono from being tucked into his hakama and then slipped it off his left shoulder, finally revealing the small that was left of his arm. Nikala parted from him to look at it.

"Oh, my love…" she said with sorrow, touching it softly. It was a rounded stub now from healing so quickly with his demon power. "We must get you your arm back."

Sesshomaru looked down at her, his face soft and serene, a smile spreading across his face. He pulled his arm out from inside her kimono and shrugged off the other sleeve.

"My arm would be nice. That way, I could hold you with both of my arms," he said and let his hormones take over again, holding her tightly against his hard, finely chiseled torso. It was the first time Nikala had ever seen Sesshomaru without his kimono and she found what she saw quite appealing. Her fingers traced the planes carved into his torso, his fair skin soft and smooth. She then ran her hands down his arms, having to stop only halfway with his left one, but she continued to rub it up and down. Her other hand, however, ran along the hard biceps and thick muscles on his forearms. She smiled as she kissed him.

"You are a strong doggy, aren't you?" she giggled. Sesshomaru chuckled and laid down on his back. He welcomed Nikala to climb over him and they continued, her tail moving back and forth in the air.

She straddled him, both her legs on either side of him, as she sat just above his waist. He was looking up at her, his head resting on the ground. His arm reached up, fearing being apart from her and once again made its place by wrapping itself around her waist, rubbing her side. His hand then reached up for the sash that was tied around her waist to keep her kimono in tack. His fingers fumbled amongst it, but hesitated.

"Don't be afraid, darling," Nikala whispered. "Don't be afraid. _Do_ it."

He wanted to. He wanted to rip it off of her, and he could without even trying. It would be like ripping paper out of a notebook, like plucking a petal off of a flower.

"_Don't be afraid,"_ her voice echoed in his mind. _"_Do _it."_

He finally overcame his hesitation and ripped the sash off of her, a low growl escaping his throat. Nikala widened her eyes at him and tilted her head.

_The dogs do have stronger hormones than most canines,_ she thought. It was true; the dogs did have a stronger hormone system than the other canine families, even the foxes who were so devoted to love and mating and bonding. But they had a sense of control. The dogs, however, did not.

_So Sesshomaru, being part of the dog family, will have raging hormones just about now. Oh how strange this must be for him_, thought Nikala again. This wasn't new to her; she'd done this same exact thing with Tairoku, resulting to the birth of Shippo. Just then, another thought occurred to her.

_Will I become pregnant again?_

She wasn't sure whether to be worried or excited. She could tell by the way Sesshomaru acted around her and Rin that he would make a good father. Perhaps having a child and starting a family of his own was something he wanted.

_I'm willing to give him anything he wants. I am forever in his debt, remember?_ she reminded herself.

With her sash gone, her kimono began to open up and reveal what she kept beneath it. Sesshomaru's heart beat even faster, sending vibrations through his veins. He saw the smile gradually growing on her face as she bent down towards his face, her forearms resting on his chest.

Sesshomaru, again grinning, ran his hand up the back of her thigh and pushed her from behind into his face, their lips colliding into each other. Nikala spread her arms and tangled her fingers in his long silver hair. It was then that Sesshomaru decided that it was _his_ turn to do the undressing.

There wasn't much, but Sesshomaru enjoyed every moment of it. He hastily pulled off her kimono, leaving her with nothing. Seeing her like this was nothing new to him, but for some reason it made his body rage. He began to growl again and wanted nothing more than to just have her.

Nikala slid off of him, crawling over on her hands and knees towards his legs. He had folded them up, his knees in the air , while she'd been on top of him and they remained that way even when she was at his legs.

There, she began to pull off his pointed boots, casting them aside with his kimono and other equipment. She agreed that Sesshomaru was a lot to work with, but that only made her want to love him even more. The anxiety in her system unraveled, spreading throughout her body.

After the boots were off, she made her way in between his legs, fingering the waistline of his hakama. Sesshomaru's breathing remained steady, but his heart was racing so fast, even he couldn't keep track of the speed.

The lake water sparkled in back of her, giving Nikala a somewhat illuminating glow, like an angel.

_She's my angel,_ Sesshomaru thought serenely. _It was she who showed me to all of this new affection. I don't feel so alone anymore. I've been brought beyond the darkness._

She stuck her fingers beneath the waistline and began to pull them down. His lower body hardened and the hormones were swirling insanely. His anxiety was reaching its top point. Then, finally, he was just as bare as she was.

"Sesshomaru," Nikala murmured his name.

"Nikala."

He couldn't wait any longer. She was just kneeling there between his legs, _right there_. Was she tempting him? It didn't matter. A loud bark escaped from his throat as he lunged for her, sticking himself inside of her.

The forest shook with cries from both the fox and the dog, of course, the dog's cries were much more loud and echoing. He growled and snarled and roared, as if he were attacking something. But it was really all just love-making as the two of them tossed and turned all over the grass, proving to InuYasha that their love was indeed real.


	14. Chapter Thirty Four

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Man, I'm doing a good job with updating both VK and InuYasha... kinda. d: Lawls. Still gotta finish beta'ing Xeerie's Terminator fic. It's really good guys... lots of action. ^-^ KK well, R&R please! Chanku! Ciao! [: **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Four::**

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The trees around the clearing shook from the vibrations of the roars InuYasha and his gang heard from the forest. His eyes widened with surprise, as did the others.

"No way," he muttered in disbelief.

"That does indeed sound like a dog," Miroku noted.

"More like a dog _demon_," added Sango. Kagome grinned up at InuYasha with an _I told you so_ look.

"Anybody can fall in love," she repeated, now smiling softly and grasping his large hand gently. "_Even _Sesshomaru."

*** * ***

For once, Sesshomaru was actually _tired_. He'd lost much energy from this that he had lay back down on his back with defeat.

Nikala rested her head on his chest, entwining her soft, thin legs with his large-muscled ones. She was hugging him from the side without an arm, which sort of panged Sesshomaru, since he couldn't hug her back from that side. He reached his arm over just so he could keep touching her, his hand resting just beneath her bust. His fur had come to wrap itself around the couple, serving as a blanket as they lay underneath the stars.

"What a night," panted Nikala softly, still trying to catch her breath from the work that they'd done. They'd been at this almost the entire night. Everything was just so exciting for the two of them, especially Sesshomaru—he'd just urge to go on more and more by the roughness of his kissing and thrusting. Nikala came to realize that there was a lot he could do with just that one arm.

"Indeed, my love," Sesshomaru mused, kissing the top of her head, her fox ears tickling his face. She looked up at him, tracing the purple marks underneath his eyes and then the crescent moon on his forehead with a smile.

"You are so handsome," she said softly, now running her fingers down his lips. He kissed them gently.

"You are so beautiful," he replied, equally as soft. It wouldn't be the first time Nikala had heard that, but Sesshomaru's words were much more genuine than the common people and fox demons she'd come across who'd fawned over her.

_Of course, Tairoku's words were genuine as well, _she thought as memories of Tairoku flooded back to her. Sesshomaru could see the sadness appear in her topaz eyes and tilted his head in confusion.

"Nikala?"

She didn't seem to hear him as she was too engulfed in those memories. Memories of the nights like this she and he had both spent together. Was this wrong? Was Tairoku frowning down on her from above for having an affair with another demon?

"_I want you to move on and live your own life. Do not be stuck to me when you cannot touch me anymore," _Tairoku's voice echoed in her mind.

_No, it shouldn't be wrong. Tairoku is allowing me to love other demons, to have other mates._

"_Exactly," _she heard his voice echo in her ear. She widened her eyes and was about to turn her head to the voice until it permitted her not to. _"Don't look my way. This is yours and Sesshomaru's night. It is fine for you to love other demons. To love others. To have other mates. Just don't forget about me."_

_Never, _Nikala thought. _I'd never forget about you, dear._

She could hear Tairoku's voice chuckle. _"I'm glad. Right now, Sesshomaru is the one who needs you. You've done so much for this demon who has been trapped in the darkness for so long and now you've brought him something new. You've taught Lord Sesshomaru how to love, and I am proud of you."_

Nikala smiled and tried her hardest to keep from tears falling down her face. If Sesshomaru caught the scent of her tears, he'd know something was up.

_Oh Tairoku, thank you._

"_Of course, my love. Continue taking very good care of Shippo. I'm always watching over you two," _Tairoku said. Nikala mentally nodded.

_Of course. _

After that, he didn't reply and Nikala figured he'd gone. She looked up to Sesshomaru and, to her surprise, saw his eyes closed, his breath steady. He was sleeping.

Nikala smiled and hugged him tighter. She snuggled into his chest as Sesshomaru's fur tightened itself around her and fell into a slumber herself.

*** * ***

The morning sun dawned on them as it reflected on the serene water of the lake.

Sesshomaru awoke to the sun's reflection in his eyes. He squinted out into the lake, and then back down at his sleeping mate, her arms wrapped around his middle tightly. He smiled at her and stroke her auburn hair.

_Oh do I love you, Nikala,_ he thought, still stroking the beautiful fox demon he was mated with.

Remembering back on what had happened that night really brought him to a wide grin. He'd never experienced something so amazing before. He never wanted it to end. He'd truly felt love from his mate, a sort of wild yet romantic love. He wanted to do it again.

_Perhaps soon,_ he thought. _Perhaps we can come back and do it again._ He'd really enjoy that.

He wondered what InuYasha was thinking about what had happened. After all, he and Nikala made it no secret as to what was going on, though it probably sounded like a battle rather than a couple making love. Sesshomaru's hormones had really gotten out of control, but he hadn't minded. As a matter of fact, Sesshomaru had _let_ his inner dog hormones take control. _They_ seemed to know what to do, or at least they knew what they _wanted_ to do. Sesshomaru had explored such areas that were completely foreign to him, places he'd never touched. Boy, was he missing out, he thought.

And the way Nikala touched him felt like magic. Nikala's hands on his body, on his chest, on his legs… it made him feel like he was on top of the world, that he could do even more than anything. He felt so _alive_. Her dainty hands trailed along his chiseled legs, his chiseled chest, his chiseled arms… he loved it.

_Truly the touch of an angel,_ he thought with a smile. His eyes remained on the fox, never wanting to take them off of her. If this love-making wouldn't prove to InuYasha that their love was true, then Sesshomaru knew nothing would. What he and Nikala had was more than true love, and he knew that nothing in the world could be better now, now that he had her.


	15. Chapter Thirty Five

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Been a while since I've posted. Sorry guys. Don't worry; I'm not dead. d: I've got a headache right now, so I don't think I'll be writing right now. Plus, I've still got to finish my book for the stupid summer essay I'm supposed to write. That thing is so stupid. Even the prompt is stupid. My MOM even thinks the prompt is stupid. o.O Blah. Okay, enjoy and R&R por fador. Chanku. Ciaozies! [: **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Five::**

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Once Nikala had woken up, the two of them decided to just relax a bit longer before heading back.

"Ready, love?" asked Sesshomaru once they were fully dressed. She looked up at him from the lake as she was washing her face and smiled with a nod.

"Yes, dear."

He smiled back at her and extended his hand to her. She took it, entwining her fingers with his and he held her close, holding her hand the entire walk back to the clearing.

They arrived back not too long later. Sesshomaru had decided to have Nikala climb aboard on his back, but she never let go of his hand, and he ran with his fast dog demon speed. They arrived in no time.

InuYasha and his gang, along with Rin and Jaken, were sitting around Kagome's small fire, breakfast being cooked for them. InuYasha sniffed out Sesshomaru moments before he arrived.

"Well, look who's back," he chimed minutes before he walked through with Nikala still on his back.

"Ma! Where were you?" cried Shippo when they entered. He ran towards Sesshomaru and his mother as she slid off of his back. Nikala welcomed her son with open arms.

"Shippo! Oh, my love, I was just out for the night with Sesshomaru," she said, stroking the young kitsune's hair as he wrapped his short arms around his mother's neck.

"With Sesshomaru?" he asked softly, looking past his mother to the towering, white dog demon lord. Nikala parted from him and held his shoulders.

"What is it, Shippo?" asked Nikala, noticing him staring at Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru looked down at the young fox belonging to his mate. Remembering how Nikala wanted him and Shippo to get along, Sesshomaru managed a grin to give the little one. Shippo widened his eyes with surprise. Obviously he wasn't expecting this.

_Sesshomaru's really changed, _thought Shippo. _I… actually kinda like him…. _Shippo gave the dog demon a smile back. Nikala saw them both smiling at each other and smiled herself. This was going just perfect. She wanted nothing more than for her mate and son to get along.

"Nikala," Kagome said, walking towards her with Sango, faint smiles on both of their faces. Nikala looked up at them and rose to her feet.

"Kagome, Sango," she noted with a smile of her own.

"May we have a word?" Sango asked, looking over at Sesshomaru. He exchanged glances with Nikala and then nodded. The three of them walked away for a private conversation.

"We heard growls and roaring," Sango said. Nikala's face turned bright red.

"Oh, did you?" she said feebly. Kagome smiled, however.

"We know what went on, and we believe that it went well?" she giggled. Nikala smiled, but her face burned even hotter.

"Oh," she laughed hesitantly, "yes. It did."

"InuYasha was shocked. He didn't think Sesshomaru would actually follow through with this idea," Kagome continued.

"Well, he certainly did. Sesshomaru was… what you'd call… _wild_," Nikala explained, grinning back at her mate, who was now being fawned over by Rin and Jaken as usual. "Hopefully InuYasha will believe that he actually loves me."

"Well he _better_," Kagome said while Sango nodded in agreement. "It's pretty stubborn of him to refuse to believe that you guys aren't in love. We know that you've brought Sesshomaru to a side that is so new to him. You've showed him love and affection."

"It's nice to see that in Sesshomaru," Sango added. "We do believe that you and Sesshomaru truly love each other. Even Miroku and Shippo do. It's just InuYasha, stubborn as always."

"I wonder why that is?" Nikala said.

"Perhaps he's jealous. InuYasha's been in love before, but maybe seeing his older, hateful brother experiencing what he has is making him feel like he doesn't have that advantage anymore. Perhaps InuYasha felt stronger since he had people to care about, but now that Sesshomaru does as well, he feels like his advantage isn't worth anything anymore," Sango explained. Kagome looked down at the ground, her wide, brown eyes saddened now.

"Kagome?" asked Nikala softly, tilting her head, noticing Kagome's sorrow. Kagome looked up at Nikala, then forced a smile.

"Yes? I'm fine, don't worry about me!" she said cheerfully, waving her off. "We should probably get to finishing breakfast. Would you care to help us?" she asked, shifting the subject. Nikala nodded and followed them to Kagome's cooking area, meeting Miroku there.

As the three girls followed over to the cooking area, InuYasha stomped over to Sesshomaru, sitting down with Rin and Jaken and Shippo.

"What are you doing Shippo? You're not supposed to be with _Sesshomaru_," InuYasha sneered. Shippo, Rin, and Jaken all looked up at the half-demon with a what-the-heck-is-your-problem look on their faces. Sesshomaru continued to stare at the ground.

"What's the matter, InuYasha?" asked Shippo strangely.

"'_What's the matter?"' _InuYasha repeated with shock.

"Are you finally convinced of Nikala's and my true love?" asked Sesshomaru finally, looking up at InuYasha with an arched eyebrow. InuYasha sneered at him.

"What? All of that roaring and growling? How do I know you weren't just attacking some other animal, or _her_?" InuYasha retorted.

Sesshomaru was in his face in one swift movement. Had he really just accused Sesshomaru of abusing Nikala?

"Do you see any injuries on her flawless body?" asked Sesshomaru in a violent whisper.

"Her sash is torn."

"_I ripped it off of her damn body to make love to her, like _you_ wanted!"_ Sesshomaru hissed, still crucially quiet, and clutching on to the neck of InuYasha's robes.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked with worry. He looked down at her and noticed that, not only she, but also Shippo and Jaken, were staring at the two of them with confusion and worry.

"Just like I wanted? So you were obeying me?" InuYasha asked smugly.

Sesshomaru hissed. He didn't like it when others commanded him to do things, but he had to admit that he had followed InuYasha's instuctions: to make love to Nikala so as to prove his love for her was real. Quite strange for his younger brother to ask of such a task, but it had been Sesshomaru's greatest joy to give Nikala this love.

"True, I did follow your orders to make love to her," Sesshomaru whispered so the little ones couldn't hear what he was saying (since they had no knowledge of Sesshomaru and Nikala doing what they had done), "but it was the best decision I had ever made. If you refuse to believe in this love I have for her, you stubborn bastard, then there is no use of making you believe. However, this will not be the last time I spend the night alone with Nikala." He grinned smugly and turned on his heel towards the group of humans and his fox demon, leaving InuYasha struck senseless and baffled.

_Then, perhaps he really _does_ love Nikala after all, _he thought.

"_Anybody can fall in love. _Even_ Sesshomaru."_


	16. Chapter Thirty Six

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Well long time no see, huh? I'm back with more _Beyond the Darkness_. I have more chapters lined up for you guys, but the second season is ending. :O Enjoy and R&R. Chanks! Ciaozies. [; **-Michele  
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****::Chapter Thirty-Six::**

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InuYasha watched Sesshomaru walk over to his mate. Could it actually be possible for Sesshomaru to fall in love? After all, Sesshomaru was a demon who cared for no one but himself. He was a demon who could kill any man, any demon— guilty or innocent— and not feel any sympathy for them, or have any regrets for what he'd just done. He felt no emotion, other than anger or annoyance, but definitely not love. So why was it that he claimed to be so in love with this peculiar fox demon— the fox demon who just happened to be Shippo's long-lost mother.

And then, suddenly, when Sesshomaru reached Nikala, he swiftly swiped her onto her feet from her sitting position on a log and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her long and passionately.

InuYasha wasn't the only one shocked about this, but the others were just shocked because it was so sudden and out of the blue. InuYasha knew, however, that Sesshomaru was doing this on purpose… to prove to him that he truly loved her.

_He… must really… But, no! Sesshomaru doesn't love anyone! Argh!_

It was nagging at him, whether to believe Sesshomaru was telling the truth or not. Sure, he had thought of this plan for him, but InuYasha didn't really think he'd actually follow through. He crossed his arms and stubbornly looked away from them.

Nikala's eyes widened at Sesshomaru with surprise, then gradually closed them and wrapped her arms around his neck to endure this surprise kiss.

"Okay, okay!" InuYasha blurted. Sesshomaru and Nikala instantly parted and everyone turned their heads to InuYasha. "I get it! You love her!"

Nikala smiled widely and Kagome and Sango crossed their arms and gave him smug looks. Finally. Finally InuYasha was convinced.

Kagome lost the smug grin and smiled kindly at her close friend. _Finally, InuYasha. I'm glad you've realized true love. _

*** * ***

Sesshomaru and his affiliation stayed with InuYasha for quite some time. Throughout that time, Nikala and Shippo had bonded again, becoming the mother and son that they were before the attack on their fox tribe. Nikala had also become quite friendly with the others, of course. She and Kagome had also become thick as thieves. They would be inseparable, if only Sesshomaru didn't want her to stick to his side at almost all times.

Miroku was still lust struck by Nikala. Her flawless body continued to seduce him and he still yearned to sneak a peek at her in the bath, but now that Sesshomaru knew of his intentions, he tried to not even think about it. Instead, he tried to focus on Sango, the first love of his life. After all, it wasn't fair of him to chase after this fox demon whom he'd never have if his heart already beat to Sango's name. Nikala had her mate, and he had his own (well, he and Sango weren't officially mates, but Kagome, InuYasha, and Shippo knew that it would one day soon become that way).

Everything was actually going swell. The strangest part was that Sesshomaru and InuYasha weren't… _fighting_ anymore. They didn't talk much, but they could at least exchange a couple of words without having to draw swords with each other. Nikala and Kagome were especially proud of this.

Nikala and Sesshomaru spent more nights alone, however. They'd return to their place by the lake and make love again and again. The younger ones still didn't know this was going on, though they might have had even the slightest clue. They were seven-year-old children who spent all of their time around adults. It was possible for them to have caught on. And the shaking of the forest from Sesshomaru's roaring even sometimes woke them up. It was then that they wondered what was happening, especially since both Nikala and Sesshomaru were gone.

"Where are Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Nikala?" asked Rin frantically. "There's a demon out there that sounds really dangerous!"

Nobody said anything and Jaken reassured that even if Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Nikala had come across a very dangerous demon, their lord would easily take it down without breaking a sweat. This seemed to relax both children, but Rin had thought of another scary scenario.

"But what about all of us? What if the demon comes for us?"

"Don't worry, Rin," Shippo said. "We have InuYasha with us."

"But he's not Lord Sesshomaru," whimpered Rin.

"Hey, we don't need _Sesshomaru_ around for everything, got it?" InuYasha snapped, overhearing Rin's quiet remark. "I can take care of any bastard who tries to come at us."

After saying this, however, it would earn a good _sit_ from Kagome for being so harsh on poor, innocent Rin.

_I'd still feel better with Lord Sesshomaru around,_ she thought and hugged herself as she would lay back down. Shippo looked down at the frightened Rin and fell back down next to her, covering themselves with the blanket Nikala had tucked them under and cuddling against her warm body.

_It's okay, Rin,_ Shippo would say in his mind. _Trust InuYasha. He'll protect us while Sesshomaru's away. Although, where is he with Ma?_

*** * ***

"_Sesshomaru!"_ Nikala cried out one afternoon out in the forest as she was hunched over, clutching her stomach. Her mouth held an acidic texture, burning with a thick, hot substance. Her eyes were wide with horror and her breathing was heavy.

She was on her way to gather some berries for the children as treats, but suddenly the thick, hot substance had rose to her throat and spewed out of her mouth, spraying a berry bush with bile.

She was gasping for air now as more of the bile upchucked out of her mouth. She moaned and thought of crying his name again, but there was never a need for her to call Sesshomaru's name twice.

He'd arrived immediately after she'd called his name and caught her hurling for the second time.

"_Nikala!"_ he shouted with fear. Why was she so suddenly sick? She'd been fine not fifteen minutes ago.

He rushed to her side, seeing tears streaming down her face as pain etched into her expression. She was biting her lip, trying to keep anything from shooting out of her mouth again. He'd wrapped his arm around her comfortingly, holding her waist gently so as not to squeeze it. Obviously that was her sensitive place at the moment.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered in her sobs. She groaned again and vomited for yet a third time, the bile bursting through her lips.

Sesshomaru looked down at her with worry and fear. What in the hell was _wrong_ with her?

He swept his arm underneath her legs so that she was sitting on his arm upright. Her arms clumsily wrapped around his neck as he took off into a run, trying to get her back as fast as he could.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered in his ear, her voice raspy. She knew what was happening to her. She knew why she was so sick, why she was vomiting like crazy. "I'm… _pregnant_."


	17. Chapter Thirty Seven

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **I've finished writing the season and I'll probably start writing the next season real soon. Probably while I'm writing my Harry Potter fanfiction, which will be published next. Look out for it! ;D Okay well, enjoy and R&R. I think this is a short chapter, but I don't know. /: Meh. I hate writing short chapters... sorry. Okay well, chanks for reading. Ciao! [: **-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Seven::**

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Sesshomaru would have stopped dead in his tracks, but he could smell the horrid scent of vomit from Nikala and knew he needed to get her to Kagome immediately. Instead of his body stopping, his heart did, though he wasn't sure how he kept moving.

"_I'm… _pregnant_," _her voice echoed in his mind.

_Pregnant? Pregnant?!_

If Nikala was pregnant now, and she'd only been making love to Sesshomaru…

_I'm going… to be a… _father_?_

Nikala gasped as she felt more bile rise up her throat. Luckily, they'd arrive at the clearing.

He set her down quickly outside the clearing so she could empty her mouth of the vomit.

"Nikala! What's wrong?" cried Kagome.

"Lady Nikala!"

"Ma!"

Nikala straightened her back slightly, still hunched over. She leaned against Sesshomaru, who held her upright.

"Sesshomaru, what happened?" asked InuYasha. "What made her so sick?"

Sesshomaru was still baffled by Nikala's news.

_Pregnant. She's pregnant… with _my_… baby._

And he was right; Nikala was pregnant with Sesshomaru's pup.

"Sesshomaru! What's going on?" cried Sango when he wasn't answering.

Jaken and Rin noticed him acting strange. They exchanged worried glances with each other. Something wasn't right with him. They remembered the last time something wasn't right with him, he ended up mating with Nikala, which was indeed a wonderful thing. So if something wasn't right with him now, could it be that another wonderful thing was going to happen?

"My lord?" Jaken asked, gently, gazing up at the majestic dog lord.

Sesshomaru, golden eyes wide open, gulped and murmured in a soft tone, "Nikala's pregnant."

*** * ***

Nikala's vomiting stopped soon after Kagome handed her some medicine from her time.

"Here, just drink this," she instructed as she handed Nikala a small, clear cup of thick, pink liquid.

"Is it safe?" asked Sesshomaru protectively. Kagome smiled widely at him.

"Of course it's safe," she responded, almost with a chuckle. "It's to stop the vomiting. It's what we use over in my time."

Nikala cautiously drank the pink substance. After she drained the clear cup, she smacked her lips and gulped again. She released a heavy sigh, which was sort of choppy since she was still shaky from all of her vomiting.

"You'll be fine, Nikala, I promise," assured Kagome. Shippo had cuddled up with his mother, worried for her.

"Kagome's medicine usually works, Ma," he said. "You'll be fine if she says you will." Nikala smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Kagome," Nikala said, her voice still a bit raspy, since her throat was still dry and burning. She handed her back the clear cup. Kagome handed her a water bottle in return and insisted she drank from it to hydrate herself again.

"It's wonderful that you're having a baby," Sango said, changing the subject. Her face was bright and happy for the couple. Miroku strained a smile.

"Yup. Looks like Shippo's going to have a younger sibling," he said through his false grin. Sesshomaru eyed him strangely. What was wrong with the monk?

"Lord Sesshomaru is going to become a father!" Rin exclaimed, clapping her hands. Sesshomaru looked down at her, his eyebrows high. Rin sure seemed excited for this upcoming baby.

"What about you, Shippo? How do you feel about this?" asked Kagome gently.

Shippo's face was surprised about the news. How _did _he feel about this? A new baby was great, but it wouldn't be from his father. This baby would be his half-sibling.

_But Sesshomaru's a good guy now,_ thought Shippo.

"It's great!" Shippo finally said. Nikala smiled down widely at him, hugging him close to her and kissing his head, though her breath still stank of bile. Though, of course, Shippo didn't want to tell his mother that, not after what she'd just been through.

"Sesshomaru? A father? I'd sure like to see that," scoffed InuYasha, folding his arms across his chest and shooting Sesshomaru a smirk. But deep down, both brothers knew that InuYasha was actually happy for Sesshomaru, something that actually lit a spark in Sesshomaru's heart.

Nikala rubbed her flat belly— for now. Soon, in a matter of months, Nikala's belly would grow large and round and inside would be Sesshomaru's first child.

*** * ***

"Be careful, alright love?" Sesshomaru warned before she headed out of the clearing to go search for berries and acorns with the children. Nikala was now three weeks pregnant with Sesshomaru's pup and he'd become even more protective of her.

Nikala smiled, ran a hand down her belly, and looked into his golden eyes. She then took her same hand and stroked Sesshomaru's cheek, brushing against his purple stripes. He rose his only hand and kept her hand against his cheek, then brought it to his lips so as to kiss her fingers.

"I will, darling. I will keep the both of us safe," she responded softly, running her empty hand down her stomach again. He nodded and bent down to kiss her forehead, then excused her to go and search for the children's treats.

"Already playing the overprotective father, huh?" asked InuYasha, coming up from behind him. Sesshomaru didn't take his eyes off of his mate, but nodded in response to his half-brother's question.

"Feels that way," Sesshomaru muttered an answer, smiling.


	18. Chapter Thirty Eight

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Okay guys. Here's my next chaaaaapter!! (Did I update today? I can't remember... o-O *ponders*) Anywahoozles, I just wanted to throw out there that there is an undiscovered author who is willing to be discovered. ;D Meet musical flower and she is a new author with a story she really wants people to read. It is a Vampires fanfiction titled, _Lake Luna High_, and though I am not familiar with the fandom, it's actually really good— a very promising story. So please check it out and she'd very much appreciate it if you'd R&R. Thank you so much and please enjoy thirty-eight. Like I said before, the season is already finished and I will be getting to work on the next one, but here we go! R&R please! Chanks! Ciao. [;**-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Eight::**

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The new baby pondered Sesshomaru's mind quite often. What would it look like? Would it be a boy or a girl? How would it act? What would they name it? Nikala and Sesshomaru hadn't discussed names yet, but perhaps it was a bit too early to. Nikala was, after all, only six weeks pregnant.

However, one night, Sesshomaru remembered what his real purpose for traveling was; to hunt down Naraku. Would it be time to go back out and search for him? His scent was still hidden, but Sesshomaru still felt the need to look out for him.

But the baby… and Nikala… how would they travel? Sure, she could ride on A-Un, but he didn't want her moving so much, especially now that she was getting bigger, a small lump taking the place where her flat stomach used to be.

_She could stay here and look after Shippo. That way, Rin can stay as well and she won't get in the way of battles if I come across any other demons,_ Sesshomaru thought, liking the plan. However, something countered his idea.

_Nikala won't let me leave alone,_ he remembered. _Well, would she come with me, or stay here with Shippo_—_ should he choose to stay with his companions?_

He'd have to talk to her about it, but he already had a feeling that Nikala would want to stay with him, no matter what.

He was right.

*** * ***

"I'm going with you," Nikala said automatically when Sesshomaru mentioned to her that he needed to start his hunt for Naraku again.

"I figured you say that," Sesshomaru muttered, "but what about Shippo? Will you just leave him here?"

"I'll bring him with us, of course," she said with a shrug.

"But what if he wants to stay with InuYasha and Kagome?"

Nikala opened her mouth to respond, but stopped herself to wonder. What if Shippo _did_ want to stay with his new friends? But… he'd finally found his mother! Why wouldn't he want to come?

"I'm his mother. Of course he'd want to stay with me," she said, not exactly sounding completely sure of herself. Sesshomaru eyed her suspiciously, arching an eyebrow.

She sighed and looked back at her son. He was sitting with Kagome, sucking on a treat called a _lollipop_ that she had given him. Rin was sitting right beside him, sucking on a lollipop as well. He did look happy with Kagome. She'd treated him very well while Nikala was away. She thanked her eternally for her acts of kindness.

"Would you rather stay here with Shippo, if he prefers to stay with InuYasha?" Sesshomaru asks, cutting Nikala from her thoughts. She shifted her gaze back to him.

"I… I don't know," she said softly. "I want to stay with both of you."

Sesshomaru grasped her hand. "I'll always be thinking of you," he said.

"I know, but that wouldn't suffice for me. I need to _be_ with you. Physically _be_ with you, Sesshomaru. I haven't felt this way since I met Tairoku," she murmured. "I won't stand to be apart from you."

"Think it over," Sesshomaru suggested. "Jaken and I won't be leaving yet. And besides," he leaned in so that their faces were inches apart, tightening his grip on her hand, "I can't stand to be without you either."

*** * ***

Not only did baby thoughts cloud her mind, but the fact that Sesshomaru would be leaving to continue his search for Naraku stressed her out as well. If Nikala stayed with Shippo, should he want to stay, Sesshomaru would request that Rin stay with them as well, instead of going out to travel with him and Jaken.

However, the thought of leaving Sesshomaru and not knowing when she'd see him again panged her heart. What if it were months until she saw him? Years even? What if he wasn't there for the baby's birth?

Nikala's eyes widened. No, Sesshomaru _had_ to be there for their baby's birth. This was, after all, Sesshomaru's first child. It was a must that he be there to witness his child being born. She'd have to go with him, no matter what. Hopefully Shippo would just want to come with her.

*** * ***

Miroku eyed Nikala with the same lust in his eyes again. Envy stirred in his heart, realizing— though he'd already known— that Nikala would rather make love with Sesshomaru than him. Miroku was just as good, wasn't he? He was definitely more experienced, that's for sure. Miroku was positive he could handle any woman he laid his hand on.

But he knew that Nikala would never feel the same way for him as he felt for her. She'd never want to make love with him, especially with a baby on the way. He couldn't bear witness Sesshomaru raising a family with her; it was too painful for him.

He watched him and Nikala talking, not being able to make out what they were saying. It looked serious; the two of them were looking stern and worried. A fight? No, not likely. Miroku couldn't get his hopes too far up.

He turned and saw InuYasha also watching them with such concentration, his thick eyebrows narrowed. His head was tilted as he watched the couple discuss their situation.

"What is it, InuYasha?" asked Miroku with curiosity, eager to find out what the two demons were discussing.

"Sesshomaru's… _leaving_," InuYasha answered. Miroku widened his dark blue eyes and his heart jumped. No, that couldn't be! Could luck really be on the monk's side?

"What? What for?" he asked, trying to hide his excitement.

InuYasha's narrowed eyes turned into a sharp glare. "He's going after Naraku again! The bastard! He wants him for himself!"

InuYasha's words struck Miroku with surprise and shock. He hadn't heard his half-demon friend call Sesshomaru any rude name for the longest time. Everybody had thought that maybe they'd started becoming friends. Apparently not.

"What about Lady Nikala? Is he just going to leave her here?" Miroku asked, wanting more information on her rather than the dog demon's plans to go after everybody's nemesis.

"Who cares! Naraku is mine and I'm not letting Sesshomaru go alone." InuYasha stomped after his brother in anger, clutching the ratty handle to Tetsusaiga's disguised form in the sheath. Miroku rolled his eyes and narrowed his eyebrows, crossing his arms.

_I care,_ thought Miroku as he watched the stubborn InuYasha pick a fight with his older brother. _Just like old times. I guess those days will never go away._


	19. Chapter Thirty Nine

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Second to the last chapter of the second season! Are you ready for it? Okay ... here it is!! Enjoy and R&R please! Chanks! Ciao. [;**-Michele**

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****::Chapter Thirty-Nine::**

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"What's going on?" asked Sango as she and Kagome, followed by Shippo and Rin, walked up to Miroku. Shippo and Rin, as usual, were occupied with future candies from Kagome.

"What's Ma talking to Sesshomaru about?" wondered Shippo out loud, sucking on his lollipop.

"And what's InuYasha doing butting in all moody, as usual?" Kagome asked.

"InuYasha overheard Sesshomaru speaking to Lady Nikala about returning to his search for Naraku," explained Miroku, the others gasping.

"So does this mean that Sesshomaru has a lead on Naraku?" asked Sango. Miroku shrugged.

"I don't know, but knowing InuYasha wants to be the only one to take Naraku down, hearing this made him angry. I'm assuming he's going to give Sesshomaru a piece of his mind."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "That's so typical InuYasha," she sighed.

"Lord Sesshomaru isn't going to settle for this. He's not going to give InuYasha much attention anyway, especially since he's with Lady Nikala," Rin explained surely.

They turned back to see InuYasha, hotheaded as ever, confronting his brother, who stood with his arm around his mate's waist, the both of them looking at InuYasha strangely. Seeing Sesshomaru's only arm there made Miroku's heart throb, but he tried to ignore it.

_I don't even love her. I just want to feel her… to make love with her. Curse this lustful feeling!_

"InuYasha, what are you babbling about?" Sesshomaru finally said after InuYasha's constant spouting of not letting him fight Naraku on his own.

"You want all the credit, don't you? You just want to make yourself look good in front of Nikala, as always, don't you? Well Naraku is _my_ fight. Don't you dare interfere!" InuYasha shouted.

"InuYasha, calm down," Nikala said gently, reaching a hand out on his arm. She rubbed her thumb and squeezed his forearm comfortingly. "Let's talk this through, shall we?"

"I already have," InuYasha said, indeed more calmly. "_I'm_ going to be the one to defeat him. _I'm_ the one who'll kill Naraku. Not Sesshomaru."

"Why don't you both search for him together. I'm coming along anyway," Nikala suggested.

"No, Nikala," Sesshomaru said firmly.

"Are you crazy? Hunt for Naraku with _Sesshomaru_? I'd rather die!" InuYasha said stubbornly.

"I can take care of that," Sesshomaru hissed. Nikala widened her eyes and squeezed Sesshomaru's arm.

"Sesshomaru…" she whispered with shock.

"I have just as good enough, if not better, a reason to catch Naraku," Sesshomaru said. "You can't stop me."

InuYasha withdrew Tetsusaiga. "Oh yeah? Watch me."

Seeing Tetsusaiga out and ready to fight startled the others watching from the sidelines. They ran towards their angry friend.

"InuYasha! Wait!" cried Kagome in protest.

"What in the world is going on? Are you really that upset he's going after Naraku?" asked Sango.

"Why are all of you suddenly on _his_ side now? I thought that he was your enemy too!" InuYasha complained.

"Well he was," admitted Miroku.

"Until we found out that he had a change of heart once he'd met Nikala," Kagome said, smiling at her fox demon friend. InuYasha rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered, not wanting to bring up that subject again.

"Ma, what's going on?" Shippo asked, finally getting to the center of things. Nikala exchanged looks with Sesshomaru, who nodded and then nodded his chin towards Shippo.

She knelt down to her son and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking into the eyes that belonged to her.

"How would you like to come with Sesshomaru and me to search for Naraku?" she asked.

Shippo's topaz eyes widened. "You're leaving?" Nikala nodded.

"Yes, dear. Sesshomaru finds it fit to start heading out now," she said.

"You guys don't need to leave," Kagome said quickly to Sesshomaru. "We can search for Naraku together. We're looking for him too." She added the last bit looking at Nikala.

"I think it'd be best if we went on our own. We'll go at our own pace, as you will yours," said Sesshomaru. Kagome sighed with defeat. There was no use in pushing the subject. She didn't want to start arguing recklessly like InuYasha had.

"But, that would mean leaving my friends," Shippo said sadly. Nikala looked up from Shippo to the three humans in back of him. They, too, wore glum expressions. Little did she know that the monk wore a glum expression for a reason different than what she thought.

"Yes," Nikala sighed, equally saddened. "It would."

"I… I sure did miss you, Mama," Shippo said softly, "and I was worried that I'd never see you again. I thought you had died along with Pa. But meeting my new friends…" He looked back at Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and especially InuYasha, a small smile gradually growing. "… I don't think I can part with them. We've been through so much."

Nikala bit her lip and thought for a bit. She didn't want to part with her son, but she didn't want to part with her mate either.

"But, Ma," Shippo continued. "I know you want to stay with Sesshomaru, so I won't ask you to stay with us. Go with him, but I want to stay with my friends."

Nikala stared at Shippo with astonishment. When had her seven-year-old boy grown up so much? It was as if he were already an adult. Instead of being upset about his decision, she was actually very happy. She smiled widely.

"You know, you're remind me more even more of your father," she said, stroking her son's jaw. Shippo smiled back.

"Really?" Nikala nodded.

"Yes, you do. Tairoku would have said the same thing, wanting the best for the both of us." She sighed. "If you want to stay with your friends, then I will gladly let you stay with them."

"He'll be fine with us," assured Sango.

"We'll make sure he's safe," added Kagome. Nikala smiled at them.

"I know you will. That's why I have no trouble leaving him with you," she said. "He's spent this long with you without me, I'm sure he'll be fine a little longer with you."

Kagome and Sango smiled widely, exchanged looks with each other. Even InuYasha made a knowing grin, sheathing his blade and crossing his arms.

"What's wrong, Miroku?" asked InuYasha suddenly. As it turned out, nobody noticed the silence of the monk. He'd been staring at the fox-demon woman, dreading her leave. He snapped out of his trance and looked at InuYasha.

"Nothing," he said, clearing his throat. "Not to worry, Lady Nikala," he said to the fox demon. "Shippo will remain safe in our care. Are you sure you wouldn't want to stay with us? I would gladly keep you company."

Sesshomaru immediately growled as InuYasha and Kagome widened their eyes. Sango glared and Shippo slapped his forehead.

"I'm sorry, Lady Nikala. Miroku doesn't know when to stop, obviously," Sango said with a strained smile, slapping Miroku on the face, and adding the last bit in a low growl between her teeth. Nikala said nothing but chuckled nervously.

"Well," said Nikala, standing up from her kneeling. She looked back at Sesshomaru, who took her waist again, seeing Miroku's jealousy. It only pleased him more. "I don't know when we're leaving, but I'm assuming in a couple of days."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Originally, I planned to head out in maybe a week."

"A week will be fine," said Kagome. "We can try and make these last few days extra special before you leave." Nikala smiled, as did Rin.

"Do you have anymore of those yummy hard things on the stick?" she asked excitedly.

"You mean the lollipops?" asked Shippo. "Yeah! She's got a bunch of those."

Kagome chuckled and nodded. "I sure do. Here, I'll go get some for you two." She led the two children away from the adults.

"Will you be alright on the rode with the baby, my lady?" asked Sango. Nikala smiled down and rubbed her belly.

"Yes, I think so. Just as long as I have its father, I know I'll be safe," she replied, looking up at Sesshomaru with a loving smile.


	20. Chapter Forty

**Beyond the Darkness  
****:::**

**A/N: **Last chapter of the season, guys! Sorry it's not ultra-spectularly long, but it's what I wrote. -shrugs- Weeelll... enjoy. Look out for season three coming soon. [; R&R por favor. Ciao! [:**-Michele**

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****::Chapter Forty::**

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The days were passing quickly and the time for Sesshomaru and his crew to leave was nearing. Nikala spent as much time as she could with her son before she had to leave him again, taking him out on morning runs like they used to do when they still lived at the fox tribe. The two foxes, of course, were going to miss each other, but they understood the other's decisions.

The day before they were to leave, Nikala was suddenly reminded of Sesshomaru's arm when they had agreed to take the children to the hot springs. Sesshomaru agreed to bathe himself before the long journey, and since they were alone besides the two children. She noticed the stub of Sesshomaru's arm and guilt dreaded her. They hadn't talked about it at all, hadn't suggested it InuYasha… nothing.

When they came back, Nikala asked to speak to InuYasha privately. Neither of the humans nor InuYasha himself had any idea what this was all about, but he agreed to speak with her anyway.

"What is it, Nikala?" he asked curiously. Nikala looked down and bit her bottom lip. It was a lot to ask from him. The portal to Inutaisho's grave was inserted in the Black Pearl, which lay dormant in InuYasha's eye.

"Sesshomaru misses his right arm," she started softly. Though the others did not have as good of hearing as the demons, she spoke softly anyway just to lower the risk of them eavesdropping.

"His arm?" Nikala nodded.

"I know portal to your father's grave is through the Black Pearl, which is inserted in your eye. But, I was hoping that perhaps—"

"I'd let you in? What's in it for me? I chopped off his arm because he was trying to kill me! What makes you think he deserves his arm back?" he snapped.

"Oh, but just the kindness alone would suffice, wouldn't it? You're retrieving your brother's limb for him. Think how happy he will be," she said, her topaz eyes sparkling wide with plea.

InuYasha couldn't resist those beautiful eyes that belonged to his half-brother's mate, but he strongly refused to go back and do some good deed for him. Despite what the others said, Sesshomaru was still evil and he knew that he still wanted to kill him. He still wanted his sword. InuYasha just figured that Sesshomaru stopped coming after him because Nikala was there. Once they were alone again, Sesshomaru would probably strike.

"I'm not going to do it," InuYasha sighed, bringing utter distraught to the beautiful fox demon's face. "His arm is gone."

Her topaz eyes were on the verge of tears, her lip beginning to quiver. Could someone really be so heartless? Especially a demon who was half human? What happened to his human heart? Weren't humans supposed to possess more love and emotion than most demons?

"Aw, come on, Nikala… don't… don't cry," InuYasha pleaded desperately, scratching the back of his head. "If Sesshomaru knew—"

"Knew what?" Sesshomaru grumbled from behind him. His eyes were narrowed down in a disappointing glare. "Is it really too much to go and search for my arm?"

"I thought you were too powerful to have any need for a second arm?" InuYasha snapped, turning to face his older brother.

"True I do possess more power than you ever will have with a single arm, but to wield a sword with two hands would make me even greater," Sesshomaru gloated. InuYasha glared into the same golden eyes he possessed.

"Sesshomaru, please don't start," Nikala said, swallowing and wiping her eyes. She sighed. "Let's not end our stay with an argument."

"Yeah, _Sesshomaru,_" InuYasha sneered. Nikala arched her eyebrow.

"You too, InuYasha. Enough quarrelling. Can't you two play nice for just one more day. I know you'll be glad that we're leaving," she snapped, acting like their mother. InuYasha widened his eyes and backed off.

"Right," he said with a nod and walked off. There was no use in fighting with a pregnant woman, let alone a fox demon mated with Sesshomaru. Nikala sighed with defeat as Sesshomaru wrapped her in his arm.

"I just thought that since you two weren't fighting like you were before, maybe he'd agree to let us through the portal to retrieve your arm. I guess I was mistaken," she said.

"InuYasha is as stubborn as a mule. It's difficult to talk anything through him. Usually one needs to force him to do something instead of talking it through with him. You tried your best, love, and I appreciate it," said Sesshomaru, kissing her on top of her head. "I can live without an arm for a bit longer. We'll find another way."

*** * ***

"You take care of your baby, alright?" Kagome said as she hugged Nikala good-bye. Nikala smiled widely and hugged her new friend back.

"And you take care of my other baby, okay?" she giggled, looking down at her son. Shippo smiled at his mother. He didn't know when he'd see her again, but hopefully it wouldn't be for long.

"And no matter what InuYasha says, you and everybody else are always welcome to stay with us," said Sango. InuYasha rolled his eyes and stubbornly crossed his arms.

"Thank you, Lady Sango," said Rin with excitement. "Maybe we'll see each other on the rode, Shippo!"

"I sure hope so! Thanks for keeping Ma company, Rin," said the little fox boy.

"Don't drift too far," pleaded Miroku, saddened to have the woman he fell in lust with leave. "We'll need to catch up with you."

"That isn't likely, monk," Sesshomaru chimed. "We'll be searching for Naraku, after all. We'll have to travel as quickly as possible in order to catch up with him."

Miroku nodded. "I understand, but—"

"You dare oppose to Lord Sesshomaru's plan?" Jaken cried.

"Hush, Master Jaken. I'm sure Monk Miroku means no harm," Rin assumed.

"Indeed, he shouldn't," Sesshomaru grumbled, eyeing the monk with a careful eye.

"Well, aside from that, I'd like to thank you again for your hospitality, especially for you, InuYasha. I'm sure it was most difficult to put up with us for you," Nikala chuckled. InuYasha chuckled nervously and half-smiled.

"Well, yeah…." he said. Nikala smiled at him widely and wrapped her arms around him, embracing him in a tight hug. InuYasha, surprised by the affection coming from his brother's mate, blushed and shyly hugged her back, sneaking glances at Sesshomaru. Surprisingly, he was not angry or even annoyed or irritated by the embracement.

"Help take care of my son. And don't even try to bop him on the head again. If you do, you'll be sorry," she threatened, but then put on her sweetest smile, stunning the half-demon senseless yet again. After exchanging hugs with Sango and Miroku— which was an exceptionally long hug, due to the monk. Sesshomaru found this most displeasing and the others noticed how irritated he was getting—, she finally held her son tightly in a long and emotional embracement.

"You be good, alright?" Nikala whispered, the tears immediately falling from her eyes.

"I will, Mama. I will," Shippo whispered back, his own topaz eyes filling with tears.

"Your father is very proud of you, my love. He's proud of what you've become; the strong fox demon you are today. You bring pride to our clan."

Shippo parted from his mother and looked at her face. Even he had to admit that she was beautiful. It was no wonder he'd received so many complements on how cute he looked. He took his mother's face in his tiny hands and met foreheads with her, their noses touching, sharing a special mother-son moment before they had to part from each other. His mother's words had touched him. Just realizing that his father was proud of him made his heart light up with joy, and also made him cry harder.

"Nikala, love," Sesshomaru said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away from her son and sighed, placing him on the ground. Shippo looked back up at his mother, sniffling.

"I can't wait to see my new sibling," he said. Nikala beamed at him, smiling widely, tears strolling down her face even faster. The baby… of course. Shippo would definitely have to see his new brother or sister.

"Me too, my love. Me too."


End file.
